LIFE Calls for proposals 2023

Published in 23/3/2023

The LIFE Call for proposals 2023 will be published on the Funding & tender opportunities portal as of Mid-April. On 25-26 April, CINEA will organise virtual EU info days to guide potential applicants.  Expected opening and submission dates Standard Action Projects for circular economy and quality of life, nature and biodiversity, climate change mitigation and adaptation sub-programmes:                Opening: Mid-April – Closing: September 2023 LIFE Action Grants for clean energy transition sub-programme:                Opening: Mid-May – Closing: Mid-November 2023 Strategic Integrated Projects: Concept notes: Opening: Mid-April – Closing: September 2023 Full proposals:  Closing: March 2024 LIFE Preparatory Projects (addressing ad hoc Legislative and Policy Priorities):                Opening: Mid-April – Closing: September 2023  Look at 2022 LIFE Calls HERE

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On the International Day of Forests took place the participatory workshop of the FoRES project, which aims to contribute to a forest that is more resilient to the spread of fire

Published in 23/3/2023

The event allowed researchers from the Center for Environmental and Sea Studies (CESAM) of the University of Aveiro to present some of the first theoretical scenarios for forest planning proposed for a pilot area located in the district of Bragança, Forest Intervention Zone of Baixa da Lombada, managed by the Association of Traditional and Environmental Agricultural Producers, and which is part of the network of Integrated Landscape Management Areas. The presentation of these scenarios served as the motto for a workshop, which consisted of a participatory exercise where the various participants in the session, from land owners to other stackolders, had the opportunity to enrich, with their proposals for the territory, the presented models of management and transformation of the landscape, according to their goals and vision for the area. The collected information will be incorporated into new forest management models for the AIGP of Baixa da Lombada, which will then be subject to forest fire propagation modeling in future climate scenarios.With these models, the objective will be to verify which landscape management or transformation strategies can result in a smaller burned area. The FoRES project – Development of forest resilience to fire in a climate change scenario, financed by the EEA Grants program, is coordinated by CESAM and has as partners the ForestWISE collaborative laboratory and the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research-NIBIO. More information about this project here.

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Interview with two CESAM researchers on the new ‘High seas treaty’

Published in 23/3/2023

Three weeks ago (March 4th) in New York, the UN Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdictionannounced that the member states hadagreed on a treaty to protect the high seas. The new treaty under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) addresses the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ).  This agreement,which has been in discussion between the member states for the last 20 years,provides a legal framework for the parts of the ocean that are outside national boundaries.  Deemed a historical moment by the Conference President, Ambassador Rena Leefrom Singapore, and the UN General- Secretary, António Guterres, this has been in the headlines of all major newspapers. Beitinternationalnewspapers (The Guardian) orPortuguesenewspapers (Público, o Diario de Notícias ou o Expresso).  “It’s been a very long journey to get to a Treaty. We will be looking to the 52 states that make up the High Ambition Coalition to lead the charge to adopt, ratify and identify important High Seas areas to protect,” said Rebecca Hubbard in the press release issued by the High Seas Alliance.  To better understand the significance of this agreement, we spoke with two of our specialists in this field, Ana Hilário e Fátima Lopes Alves.    CESAM: In broad terms, what is this treaty about?What are its objectives?  Ana Hilário: This treaty is about managing and protecting the biodiversity of more than 60% of our planet – the area beyond national jurisdiction, that aren’t subject to any individual nation’s laws or control. This area is home for a great diversity of marine species, from phytoplankton to blue whales that don’t recognize national boundaries!This new treaty makes it possible to create marine protected areas beyond national jurisdiction, which is fundament to achieve the goal set last year: to protect 30% of the planet’s land and oceans by 2030.  Fátima Lopes Alves: The objective of the new treaty is to establish a comprehensive legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction,including the establishment of marine protected areas and the regulation of activities such as fishing, mining, and bioprospecting. The treaty would also seek to enhance international cooperation and scientific research to better understand and manage the complex and interconnected ecosystems of the ocean.  The negotiations for the new text of the treaty have been ongoing since 2018 and have involved a wide range of stakeholders, including governments, NGOs, and the private sector.     CESAM: What is the societal and ecological relevance of this treaty?  Ana Hilário: As marine biodiversity faces threats from overfishing, climate change and emerging activities, such as seabed mining, this new treaty, when ratified, will create an international legal framework focused on protecting ocean species or ecosystems. Human well-being is, around the world, dependent on a healthy ocean: the ocean is the planet’s greatest mitigator of climate change and billions of people directly depend on the ocean for food and jobs. The new treaty protects nature, but also people.  Fátima Lopes Alves: Is highly relevant both in terms of its societal and ecological impacts.  From a societal perspective, the treaty has the potential to address many of the challenges facing the ocean, such as overfishing, pollution, and the loss of biodiversity. The ocean is a vital resource for human well-being and supports a wide range of industries, including fisheries, tourism, and shipping. By establishing a comprehensive legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in ABNJ, the treaty can help to ensure the long-term health and resilience of the ocean, which is essential for the continued prosperity of coastal communities and the global economy.  From an ecological perspective, the treaty is also highly relevant. The ocean is one of the most biodiverse and ecologically complex environments on the planet, and it is essential to the functioning of the Earth's systems, such as regulating the global climate and providing oxygen through photosynthesis. However, the ocean is also under threat from human activities, including overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change. By establishingstronger regulations and protections for the ocean, the treaty can help to safeguard marine biodiversity and ensure the continued functioning of these critical ecosystems.    Short bios  Ana Hiláriois a deep-sea biologist at the Centre for Environment and Marine Studies of the University of Aveiro. In the last 15 years, Ana has led several projects and participated in more than 20 oceanographic cruises dedicated to studying deep-sea ecosystems and has a vast experience in seafloor sampling. Currently, she co-leads Challenger 150 (www.challenger150.world), a 10-year programme of deep-sea biological science endorsed by UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.    Fátima Lopes Alves is a professor in the Department of Environment and Planning at the University of Aveiro and a researcher and member of the board of the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM). With more than 28years of professional experience, her main fields of expertise are Coastal and Marine Planning and Governance, Spatial Planning of Protected Areas, and Environnement assessment.  In September of 2018 she was part of the Portuguese team appointed by the FCT (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) to join the Permanent Mission of Portugal on the UNin this treaty negotiations 

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UA Rector highlights CESAM research in new 'Encontro Fora da Caixa'

Published in 22/3/2023

Yesterday, March 21, another edition of the 'Encontro Fora da Caixa' took place, a cycle of debates promoted by Caixa Geral de Depósitos in partnership with the newspaper Observador. This debate on the theme 'The Economy of the Sea', took place at the Casa da Cultura de Ílhavo and was attended by several speakers, including Paulo Jorge Ferreira, Rector of the University of Aveiro (UA).  Moderated by Paulo Ferreira from Rádio Observador, this debate sought to answer questions such as: What challenges and opportunities does the Economy of the Sea hold for the economic and social development of Portugal? Is it possible to explore the sea in a sustainable way?And in what way? The debate included interventions by José Maria Costa, Secretary of State for the Sea, Ruben Eiras, Secretary General of the Fórum Oceano Forum and Paulo Moita Macedo, Chairman of the Executive Committee of Caixa Geral de Depósitos. The Rector of the University of Aveiro had the final intervention in this edition of the 'Meeting Outside the Box', where, highlighting the important role of the University of Aveiro in the Economy of the Sea, he highlighted the Center for Environmental and Sea Studies "which has an intense activityin the area of the sea and coastal ecosystems (…) it is strongly internationalized and looks at the problems of the sea in a multi and transdisciplinary way, without neglecting support for decision-making and public policies”. In a widely applauded intervention, Paulo Jorge Ferreira also highlighted some infrastructures of the University of Aveiro in the area of the sea and which are connected to the city of Ílhavo, such as CITAQUA (Center for Innovation and Technology in Aquaculture) and ECOMARE (Laboratory Innovation and Sustainability of Marine Resources).It also identified, due to their relevance in research on the sea, the objectives of some scientific projects that integrate CESAM such as Restore4C, BESIDE, A-AAgora, BlueCC, a recently approved Life project, WINBIG and Sea2See. In the end, and in a direct conversation with the moderator Paulo Ferreira, the Rector of the UA also highlighted the role of the 'UA Coopera' unit in linking the university to the business fabric and the strategic relevance of CESAM's activities and scientific areas for the University of Aveiro. The debate can be reviewed in full here.

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CESAM researcher in the working group OYSTER

Published in 22/3/2023

Our researcher Nerea Juncal (CESAM/DBIO) recently joined the independent working group OYSTER. OYSTER is funded by the EuroMarine network and is dedicated to promoting opportunities for Early Career Researchers (ECRs) in marine science.  

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Open Call for Experts on “Building resilient coastal communities through nature-based solutions (NBS) and other empowerment tools”

Published in 21/3/2023

Eklipse invites applications from different fields of expertise to join an Eklipse Expert Working Group to answer the request on “Building resilient coastal communities through nature-based solutions and other empowerment tools”. The request was put forward to Eklipse by EmpowerUs EU Project which is funded under the European Union’s Horizon Europe program.Deadline to apply - 10 April 2023 More information on the call can be found HERE.

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COST Info Session: 24 May 2023

Published in 21/3/2023

Save the date! This online COST Info Day is open to all researchers and innovators at any career stage and from any field of research, especially young researchers, as well as R&I staff. The aim is to inform researchers and innovators about how to connect with COST Actions or submit a COST Action proposal, the role and impact of the COST programme, and the benefits of participating in COST for researchers’ careers, with a focus on young researchers. Registration is necessary to receive the link timely to join on 24 May.

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PRIMA WEFE Nexus Award 2023

Published in 21/3/2023

The Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) provides an award to project beneficiaries combined management practices of water, energy, food and ecosystem resources at local or regional scale. PRIMA WEFE Nexus Award is assigned to “research teams and practitioners” that have devised and demonstrated the successful implementation of combined management practices of water, energy, food and ecosystem resources at the local or regional scale in the Mediterranean area. Funding: Total indicative amount: 20.000Euro for two Prizes, 10.000 Euro each. Deadline: 22 May 2023. More information HERE.

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Seminar "Trait-based approaches for ocean conservation: from rocky reefs to hydrothermal vents"

Published in 17/3/2023

On 22 March, at 16:30, the seminar "Trait-based approaches for ocean conservation: from rocky reefs to hydrothermal vents" with Professor Amanda Bates from the University of Vitoria will take place in Amphitheatre 9.1.1 (DEMaC). This seminar within the EuroMarine foresight workshop "Functional diversity of deep-sea environments targeted for mineral exploitation” is organized by the project "DEEP REST - Conservation & restoration of deep-sea ecosystems in the context of deep-sea mining.” This activity is supported by the Ecology & Functional Biodiversity (EFB) Thematic Line.

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The CBE JU call for project proposals 2023 will open on 26 April 2023

Published in 15/3/2023

Call for proposals 2023 Call identifier: HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023 Call launch: 26 April 2023 Call deadline: 20 September 2023 17:00 CET Call budget: €215.5 million CBE JU calls follow the rules and procedures of Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation programme. Find more information about Horizon Europe’s funding opportunities. More information: HERE

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"Environmental Challenges" Seminar addresses our personal impacts on climate change

Published in 15/3/2023

The first edition of "Environmental Challenges", a series of seminars related to CESAM's environmental research, will be held on 20 March at the Carlos Borrego Amphitheatre, starting at 4pm. Admission is free for all interested parties. Professor Ole Nielsen, from the University of Copenhagen, will challenge the audience in this seminar on energy units, trying to clarify what our personal impact on climate change is. As Ole Nielsen puts it: "We will discuss questions like: How big is the problem? What will it take for us to change? Who controls the outcome? What kind of cars should we drive? Can we electrify? What kind of food should we eat? And in the end, we will be able to understand a little better our impact on climate change". These seminars are organized as part of the activities of CESAM's IES (Integrated Environmental Systems) Thematic Line and in collaboration with the Department of Environment and Planning of the University of Aveiro. Ole John Nielsen has more than 40 years of experience in research and teaching. He has been a member of the National Council for Scientific Research in Natural Sciences (1998-2005) and of numerous evaluation committees and scientific advisory boards. He has received several awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize as a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2007, the Henry Ford Technology Prize (1996) and the Danish Academic Union Research Prize (2006). Supervisor of 26 doctoral theses and author of more than 260 publications and 12 book chapters, with around 6000 citations and an H-index of 47. Danish senior women's basketball team.

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Ocean Seagrass beds as Nature-based solutions for ecosystem restoration

Published in 14/3/2023

This edition of 'Ocean Break', a series of seminars linked to research on the sea carried out at CESAM, will take place on March17th (Friday), between 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm at the lecture theatre 9.1.1 (DEMaC).  Researcher Pedro Coelho (CESAM/DBIO) will address the use of Ocean Seagrass beds as Nature-based solutions for ecosystem restoration  The needs to halt biodiversity loss, restore ecosystems and use Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for enhanced climate mitigation and adaptation are all recognised in current EU policies, and in the upcoming EU Nature Restoration Law.   Seagrass beds provide major ecosystem services for the benefit of biodiversity, human health and climate, namely richer flora and fauna, flood regulation, sediment stabilisation and carbon sequestration. “Seagrass conservation and restoration efforts are hence in the spotlight, aiming to reverse the worldwide seagrass meadow global decline” states Pedro Coelho.  The potential use of seagrass recolonisation for the rehabilitation of degraded areas, namely for phytoremediation and/or phytostabilization of contaminated sites, was however to be tested. In an overview of project RemediGrass results, the benefits and challenges of this innovative NbS for ecosystem restoration will be addressed.This seminar is jointly organised by three CESAM research groups: CDEC (Coastal and Deep-Ocean Ecology & Conservation), MBA (Marine Biotechnology & Aquaculture) and POMG (Physical Oceanography & Marine Geology). Admission is free, no registration is needed. 

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6th edition of the Individual Call to Scientific Employment Stimulus.

Published in 21/3/2023

The Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), an Associated Laboratory of the University of Aveiro (UA), Portugal, welcomes applications for six-year research contracts, funded by the National Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), acting as host institution, in the framework of the sixth edition of the Individual Call to Scientific Employment Stimulus. Working at CESAM means being a member of an international collaborative and transdisciplinary network that gathers more than 220 PhD researchers with knowledge and expertise on fundamental and applied research in the natural and social sciences, which is a unique asset in an Associated Laboratory in Portugal. CESAM is committed to policy challenges related to adaptation and mitigation of climate change; regional, national and EU policies on water (freshwater and marine) and natural resources, including biodiversity, environmental health and sustainable development. CESAM’s research is transversal, covering the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and anthroposphere. The team holds expertise in: Modelling and forecasting of atmospheric and hydrodynamic (freshwater, coastal & oceanic) processes; Terrestrial and aquatic (including deep sea) biodiversity, mineral and energy resources, ecosystems structure, functions and services, and risk assessment from sub-cellular to ecosystem levels; Development and validation of environmentally friendly technologies, analytical chemistry, marine geophysics, and ecotoxicological methods considering multiple stressors; Development and application of environmental management tools based on life cycle thinking, such as life cycle assessment, life cycle sustainability assessment, and carbon and water footprints; ‘Omics’ technologies and bioinformatics; Stakeholder engagement, participatory methods and environmental planning. Prospective applicants should present their research plan bearing in mind the CESAM’s scientific plan, reflected on our four Thematic Lines: Ecology & Functional BiodiversityEnvironment & HealthMarine Ecosystems & ResourcesIntegrated Environmental SystemsApplicants with a relevant track record of obtaining competitive funding for research activities are especially welcome. To apply, please send us the following documents and information by 03 April 2023: A summary of the work plan (max. 2500 characters); CV synopsis (max. 500 characters) and CienciaVitae link; A motivation letter explaining your trajectory in the last five years and the relevance of your achievements to CESAM´s Thematic Lines objectives and CESAM´s mission (max. 2000 characters); Please submit your application material or any questions that may arise to Ana Santiago by email anas@ua.pt. All selected candidates must submit the proposals directly in myFCT platform. CESAM staff can provide support, if necessary.

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GET READY for 2023 - 2024 Biodiversa+ third call

Published in 9/3/2023

The third Biodiversa+ annual joint call for research will be on the topic of Nature-based Solutions. This call will be embedded in the Biodiversa flagship programme “Better knowledge to develop, deploy and assess nature-based solutions” and will be co-funded by the European Commission. Indicative timing Spring / Summer 2023: Official pre-announcement of the call, with further information on its topic and the themes that it will address September 2023: Launch of the BiodivNBS call November 2023: Deadline for the submission of pre-proposal  

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CESAM researchers present in the book “Women in Science”

Published in 9/3/2023

On the International Women's Day, the fourth volume of the book "Women in Science" was launched at the Pavilhão do Conhecimento in Lisbon, bringing together 101 portraits of women researchers from different fields of knowledge. This editorial project focuses on female researchers and their success stories, with the aim of contributing to the rooting of science in Portuguese society and possibly inspiring young people to follow their vocation in this area. Three CESAM researchers were honoured in the 2023 edition: Ana Hilário, Ana Cristina Figueiredo and Edna Correia. Ana Hilário said that "almost half of the researchers in Portugal are women, and this deserves to be celebrated, because unfortunately this is not the reality in a large number of countries world, where access to education and training in science is denied to women". Edna Correia also affirmed that "it is with great pleasure that I am part of this initiative by Ciência Viva to honour women in science. I think this work is very important to give women scientists a face and a voice, so that they can be known and recognised. I hope that these books will also help to show that there are Portuguese women in all areas of science, you just have to want to find them! Read more about this project here.

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Information session on 2023 call for doctoral grants from FCT

Published in 9/3/2023

On March 15th, between 4:30 pm and 6:00 pm, in amphitheatre 3.1.15 of Building 3 of the UA, an information session will be held on the 2023 call for doctoral grants from the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT).This session, with free admission, is organised in partnership with GAD-CESAM (Group of PhD Students) and NEB (Nucleus of Biology Students of the University of Aveiro). During this interactive session, there will be interventions from: Vânia Calisto (CESAM/DQUA), João Dias (CESAM/DFIS) and Myriam Lopes (CESAM/DAO) – “Some advice from PhD supervisors and FCT national evaluators.” Ana Sofia Santiago (CESAM) – “The Do’s and Donts of the FCT doctoral grant competitions.” GAD-CESAM Members – “Personal experiences of applying for or having an FCT PhD grant.”

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Apply for your own European Maritime Day "In My Country" event

Published in 9/3/2023

European Maritime Day "In My Country 2023" will include physical, virtual and hybrid events that will take place from 1 April to 31 October 2023. Organisers will receive a communication pack and their events will be promoted via the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries' information channels.  Are you ready to submit your event for 2023? CESAM staff may help you with your application! Contact us as soon as possible. Deadline: 15 March 2023

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EurOcean’s call for a Pool of Experts!

Published in 7/3/2023

EurOcean, the European broker for ocean science and technology, is an international, scientific, independent, non-profit organization, of which CESAM is a full partner. EurOcean organises, develops, or implements numerous activities, that may require specific expertise to complement the one existing in-house. The specific expertise could be provided by individuals identified through this call for a Pool of Experts. The call is open permanently. Apply HERE.

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CESAM researcher in RTP 2 program “Sociedade Civil"

Published in 16/3/2023

Our researcher Heliana Teixeira (CESAM/DBIO) was on the RT2 Civil Society programme on Monday 13 March, where she addressed the issue of invasive species.The researcher has a strong scientific activity related to this topic, of which we can highlight, for example: the membership, since 2021, of InvECO (Portuguese Network for the Study and Management of Invasive Species) of SPECO, or the collaboration, since 2019, with LifeWatchERIC IJI, developing virtual research environments for non-indigenous and invasive species. See more here: https://www.rtp.pt/play/p11183/e678018/sociedade-civil

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Registration open for the Alternet Summer School 2023

Published in 6/3/2023

The 17th Alternet Summer School in collaboration with Biodiversa+ will occur from 30 August - 9 September 2023 in Peyresq, France. The title of this year's programme will be: “Biodiversity and Society: science, policy and transformative change”.  Biodiversity is declining globally at rates unprecedented in human history, with serious impacts on people around the world. The Alternet summer school focuses on the challenge of biodiversity management and conservation by exploring drivers of biodiversity loss, and the role of ecological knowledge and social science approaches.  This program is open to graduate and postgraduate scientists and professionals in related fields.  Registration deadline 15 April 2023.  Apply here.   Learn more about the Alternet Summer School here. 

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ERA-MIN Joint Call 2023

Published in 6/3/2023

The ERA-MIN Joint Transnational Call presents a funding opportunity for companies, universities, research institutes, NGOs and public authorities that wish to propose research and innovation actions within the theme of “raw materials for sustainable development and the circular economy” at transnational level. - Consortia of at least three partners, from three different countries, can apply. At least one partner needs to be from an EU member state or Associated Country participating in the call. - Projects may last 12–36 months and work in TRL levels 1–9 (subject to national/regional regulations). - The deadline to submit a proposal is 30th March 2023, at 17:00:00 CEST. More details: HERE  

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Working session on the impacts and benefits of Forest Certification FSC

Published in 3/3/2023

A working session on the impact and benefits of FSC forest certification was held at CESAM yesterday. The FSC is an international organisation dedicated to promoting environmentally sound, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world's forests. In Portugal, the FSC is represented by the Association for Responsible Forest Management (AGFR), whose aim is to publicise, promote and implement the FSC forest certification system in our country. Forest management certification is a voluntary and independent process, based on the FSC Principles and Criteria, which ensures that products come from forests and other well-managed sources (e.g. recycled material). In this session, which was attended by several CESAM members, relevant topics such as resilience of forest systems, habitat conservation, productivity in forest systems, among others, were discussed. More information is available here.

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Open Calls for 5th meeting of the Working group “Benefits and Risks of Exotic Biological Control Agents” combined with the IOBC-Global working group

Published in 3/3/2023

From 11-14 September 2023, the University of Aveiro will host the 5th meeting of the Working group “Benefits and Risks of Exotic Biological Control Agents” combined with the IOBC-Global working group. The 2023 meeting will be the fifth main meeting of the IOBC-WPRS working group. The previous meetings took place in: Engelberg, Switzerland (2009), Hluboká, Czech Republic (2011), Bornholm, Denmark (2015), and Azores, Portugal (2018). This year the group also organized a symposium at the XXVI International Congress of Entomology (ICE2022) in Helsinki, Finland. Although the group is primarily based in Europe, the meetings attract delegates from all over the world. This meeting is targeted at scientists and professionals working with Benefits and Risks of Exotic Biological Control Agents, and addresses the following areas: – Benefits and risks of exotic biological control agents in forest production systems – Benefits and risks of biological control of invasive exotic plants – Interactions between exotic biological control agents and native species – Benefits and risks of exotic biological control agents of emerging pests and pathogens – Novel tools to access the benefits and risks of exotic biological control agents. – Synergies between organizations and networks dealing with exotic Biological control agents.   More information here.

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CESAM researchers won the Cooperation Award of the UA

Published in 2/3/2023

Our researchers Susana Loureiro and Diogo Cardoso (CESAM/DBIO) have won the University of Aveiro's Cooperation Prize in the Environment, Sea and Forest category.The prize aims to recognise the merits of those who contribute to the development of a knowledge-based society in the different areas of cooperation.Susana Loureiro points out: "This prize highlights our research, demonstrating the multidisciplinary nature of our research area, ecotoxicology, and its applicability in different sectors of the material production industry, its application in the agri-food sector, and translated into more value for society.Although this award is related to our collaboration with Ingredient Odyssey, SA, it also applies, in terms of circularity and sustainability, to other collaborations that we have in the field of nanomaterials, in Portugal, with SMALLMATEK". Read more here.

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CESAM research featured in Semanário Sol supplement, “Perspetiva atual”

Published in 2/3/2023

In the February edition of the "Perspetiva atual" supplement, Professor Amadeu Soares, CESAM's scientific coordinator, describes the mission, research areas and activities carried out by the research centre. “Our mission is to develop international research of excellence, multi and transdisciplinary, on the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and anthroposphere, in the “continuum” atmosphere-earth-ocean, framed in multidisciplinary Thematic Lines” says Amadeu Soares in the article. The scientific coordinator also points out that “The main objective is to promote an efficient use of terrestrial and aquatic environmental resources, from the watershed to the deep sea, and a more competitive, resilient and sustainable economy.” All news available here.

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Information session on the 2023 edition of the Azores Summer School (AzSS): Evolutionary processes of marine organisms on oceanic islands

Published in 2/3/2023

On March 8, an information session on the Azores Summer School (AzSS) will take place in the amphitheater of the Department of Biology (8.1.43), at 4.30 pm. This session, organized in partnership with GAD-CESAM (Group of Doctoral Students) and NEB (Nucleus of Biology Students of the University of Aveiro), will be attended by Sérgio Ávila, professor at the University of Azores, one of the organizers from summer school. Admission is free and without the need for prior registration. The 2023 edition of the Azores Summer School (AzSS) - Evolutionary processes of marine organisms on oceanic islands, will take place from the 9th to the 21st of July, on the island of Santa Maria, Azores. This summer school is aimed at undergraduate, masters, doctoral students and other researchers who have research interests linked to the area of island ecosystems. Applications for this summer school are open until April 30th and must be accompanied by the candidate's curriculum vitae. Members of CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Sea Studies) and other scientific organizations such as CIIMAR, CCMAR or MARE, can also apply for one of the 15 scholarships funded by FLAD (Luso-American Foundation for Development), covering accommodation and travel expenses for selected candidates. This and other information will be presented to all participants in this debriefing session. The official AzSS website is available here.

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Field course "Ecological Research in Mediterranean Ecosystems - From Theory to Practice”

Published in 1/3/2023

The field course "Ecological Research in Mediterranean Ecosystems - From Theory to Practice” will be held between 17 and 29 April, 2023. Brief theoretical introductions on sampling design, habitat characterization, and biodiversity surveys will be followed by practical sessions in a Mediterranean landscape, the Faia Brava reserve (Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo, Portugal). The course is free and targets BSc, MSc or PhD students, aiming to deepen knowledge on the design and implementation of ecological studies, and monitoring wildlife populations and habitats. Application deadline: March, 17th More information is available here 

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11th Workshop in Lipidomics

Published in 28/2/2023

As in previous years, the Lipidomics Laboratory, Mass Spectrometry Centre and the Department of Chemistry at the University of Aveiro promote the 11th Workshop in Lipidomics, which aims to provide new insight on lipidomics research and application in several areas. The workshop will be divided into three online events that will take place via Zoom on Wednesdays (14:00-17:15, Lisbon time) on the following dates: April 12th: Lipidomics in Health & Disease April 26th: Food Lipidomics May 3rd: Marine Lipidomics For free registration here. The full programs will be made available soon here.

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MISSION ATLANTIC: Mobility Call 2023

Published in 28/2/2023

MISSION ATLANTIC (www.missionatlantic.eu) is an EU-funded project that will map and assess the present and future status of Atlantic marine ecosystems under the influence of climate change and exploitation. MISSION ATLANTIC is offering mobility grants to assist students, researchers, technicians, and professionals working on marine Integrated Ecosystem Assessments (IEA) all around the Atlantic Basin in visiting project partner organisations for up to a six-week period and carrying out research to improve our understanding of the Atlantic Ocean through the development of IEA. ELIGIBILITY: any individual student, researcher, technician or marine environment & resources professional with capacity to contribute to IEA research & implementation in the MISSION ATLANTIC Regional Case Studies (https://missionatlantic.eu/case-studies/) or any other specific Task of the project WorkPlan (see Open Proposal here https://zenodo.org/record/4916511#.YZZu97oo_s0). FUNDING: MISSION ATLANTIC offers economy flights, local accommodation & living costs, EU Visa expenses (max 4.000 EUR) for the 6 weeks mobility period. DEADLINE for applications: 31 March 2023, 12pm CET Apply HERE.

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Interdisciplinary summer school on forest ecosystems

Published in 28/2/2023

The increasing rates of changes in environmental conditions put higher pressure on science to provide robust estimates of future ecosystem development. Therefore, it is needed robust approaches to measure the current state, understand the processes and then accurately predict the development of forest ecosystems. In this view, the members of three COST Actions (3DForEcoTech, Bottoms-up, PROCLIAS) joined their forces to develop research and training activities to link forest dynamics models with modern technologies and comprehensive biodiversity data. Target AudienceThis summer school is designed for PhD candidates and postdocs from a variety of research fields focusing on forest ecosystems. How to apply?There are ~40 places available for this summer school spread across the three topics. Please apply through the form by March 31st, 2023. When & Where? 10/7/2023 – 14/7/2023, Ljubljana, Slovenia. Participation fee & support: No registration fee. COST actions 3DForEcoTech, BOTTOMS-UP and PROCLIAS will reimburse the costs of selected participants’ travel, accommodation and subsistence. The costs will be reimbursed only after the completion of summer school.  More informatio: HERE

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5th edition of the International Conference on Food Contaminants (ICFC 2023)

Published in 28/2/2023

The National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA), through its Department of Food and Nutrition, with the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) and the Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering of the University of São Paulo, promotes, between September 4th and 6th, the 5th edition of the international conference on food contaminants “International Conference on Food Contaminants (ICFC 2023): Challenges in the assessment of exposure, impacts on health and sustainability of food systems”. As in previous editions, ICFC 2023 is dedicated to future challenges in the area of food safety and human health, this year related to exposure to chemical contaminants, their impact on human health and the sustainability of food systems, as a vehicle for asafer food.This will be the first edition of this event to take place outside Portugal with a view to developing a broader reflection on the subject, promoting contact, beyond Europe, with the reality of Brazil and neighboring countries. ICFC is a multidisciplinary event where researchers from all over the world, regardless of their experience and notoriety, can share ideas and knowledge about human health and food contaminants.About this year's edition, more detailed information will be released soon, including the limit data for the submission of communications. The main route of exposure to chemical contaminants is the food route, which is why the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has established risk analysis (Risk Analysis) associated with the food chain as mandatory.Risk assessment aims to study the adverse health effects that result from human exposure to food-borne hazards.

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CESAM researcher discusses the study of bt-godwits in Público

Published in 27/2/2023

In the February 25th edition of the newspaper Público, researcher Afonso Rocha (CESAM/BIO) discusses his work with bt-godwits in the Tagus estuary. This work is done in close cooperation with researchers from the University of Extremadura (Spain).  The full news piece is accessible here (only for subscribers and in Portuguese)

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2023 FCT Call for PhD Studentships in all Scientific Domains

Published in 24/2/2023

In 2023 edition, in addition to the applications in all scientific areas and with research work to be carried out in scientific and academic institutions, the call opens a specific line of application for PhD studentships in which work plans are partially carried out in one or more non-academic entities. In 2023, FCT will thus reinforce the connection between work plans developed in an academic environment and the business and social network, in a broad sense, which includes companies, public, social, health, cultural or other interface institutions. The call is open from March 1st to 5:00 pm (Lisbon time) 31 March, 2023.

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EMBO Young Investigator Programme

Published in 24/2/2023

Supporting young group leaders in Europe and beyond The EMBO Young Investigator Programme supports life scientists who have been group leaders for less than four years at the time of application in setting up their laboratories. Young Investigators receive financial support for networking for four years and benefit from training opportunities, support for their lab members and mentoring.  Application deadline: 01 April 2023 More information HERE

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Alternet Science-Policy Interface seminar series

Published in 23/2/2023

The fifth installment in the Alternet Science-Policy Interface seminar series occurs on 27 February 2023 (14:00-15:30 CET). This free, open webinar is organized jointly with SERE (Society for Ecological Restoration Europe) on the subject of the Nature Restoration Law. It is entitled: "The Nature Restoration Law: Challenges for the scientific community." The SPI Seminar webpage with programme and speaker and the registration form can be acessed here

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Earth Systems Summer School 2023

Published in 23/2/2023

This summer School will take place between the 2nd and 8th of July, on Terceira Island, Azores. This summer school is aimed at PhD students and other graduate students in all Earth Science topics, including Meteorology and Climate, Physical Oceanography, and Geology, among others. It is organised by several of scientific organisations, and pre-registration runs until the 3rd of March. More information is available here

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The first edition of the ‘Research Highlight series’ addresses the project ‘VitroTox’

Published in 3/3/2023

The first edition of this series of seminars carried out at CESAM will host researcher Maria Pavlaki (CESAM/DBIO) and will take place on March 3rd (Friday), between 16:00 pm and 17:00 pm in lecture room 3.1.15 (building 3).  The title of Maria Pavlaki’s (CESAM/DBIO) talk will be: ‘Zebrafish, drugs and cocktails: what VitroTox is all about´.  All members of the CESAM community are invited to attend, and no registration is needed.  These seminars are organised by CESAM’s Research Group ECHC – Environmental Changes, Hazards & Conservation.    The following editions will be:  31 st March - Andreia Rodrigues ‘Challenges to increase the competitiveness and sustainability of bivalve molluscs production, safeguarding its food safety.’  21st April - Diogo Cardoso ‘Insects as a key to a more sustainable planet: ENTOSAFE project’  26th May – Isabel Lopes ‘Living in a saltier world: challenges and impacts to coastal biota’  30th June – Roberto Martins ‘Eco-friendly nanoadditives for maritime anti-corrosion smart coatings: a glimpse of the NANOGREEN project’ 

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First external review of the IPBES transformative change assessment

Published in 22/2/2023

The first external review of the thematic assessment of the underlying causes of biodiversity loss, determinants of transformative change and options for achieving the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity (transformative change assessment) was launched and is open until 17 March 2023. By becoming a reviewer you’ll be involved in one of the most important phases in the IPBES assessment process.The IPBES seeks the widest possible participation and most diverse engagement of interested and qualified experts, including scientists, decision makers, practitioners and other knowledge holders from all relevant disciplines and backgrounds.This is vital to ensure the scientific quality, credibility and policy relevance of the assessment. Your expertise is crucial as your comments will help us to develop a better and more comprehensive assessment. The names of all expert reviewers will be acknowledged in the reports and the responses from the authors will be made available online once the assessment is approved. More information: HERE

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OCEAN BREAK seminar discusses the governance of the stalked barnacle fishery in Europe

Published in 23/2/2023

This edition of 'Ocean Break', a series of seminars linked to research on the sea carried out at CESAM, will take place on February 24th (Friday), between 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm at the lecture theatre 9.1.1 (DEMaC). Admission is free, and no registration is needed. Researcher Henrique Queiroga (CESAM/DBIO) will address the governance of barnacle fishing in Europe in its three pillars – social, economic and ecological. The European stalked barnacle (Pollicipes pollicipes) fishery is a small scale, highly specialised fishery, extending from southern Portugal to Brittany. Management ranges from highly regulated territorial user rights for fishing to open access, and from patch (< 1 km) to regional (> 100 km) spatial scales. Yet, stalked barnacles spend an extended larval period in the plankton. According to Henrique Queiroga (CESAM/DBIO): “Our models suggest that the management of the P. pollicipes fishery requires an interactive, polycentric governance system at transregional, regional and local scales. Diversifying the fishery’s management portfolio will give the resource a higher possibility of persistence”. This seminar is jointly organised by three CESAM research groups: CDEC (Coastal and Deep-Ocean Ecology & Conservation), MBA (Marine Biotechnology & Aquaculture) and POMG (Physical Oceanography & Marine Geology).

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CBE InfoDay 2023: 20 of April 2023

Published in 16/2/2023

The CBE JU Info Day 2023 allows you to gain insights into the upcoming call for project proposals 2023 and expand your network. The info day will be streamed online, and its recording will be available on this page afterwards. You will be able to ask questions via an online tool during the event’s Q&A session and engage with other potential applicants on the CBE JU networking platform. You need an EU Login account to register, you can create one at any time. Then register yourself HERE.

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FCT RESTART Programme

Published in 27/2/2023

RESTART Programme is a new FCT funding instrument, whose first Call opened in the 15th of February, created with the aim of promoting gender equality and equal opportunities through competitive funding of individual R&D projects, in all scientific fields, when carried out by researchers who have recently taken parental leave, including by adoption. Aligned with public policies in this area, RESTART also covers, with specific eligibility conditions, cases of shared parental leave, which privilege equality in the provision of care and the sharing of family responsibilities and duration of leave. National, foreign and stateless researchers who meet the following requirements at the deadline for submission of applications may apply, with the commitment of the host institution: hold a doctoral degree; be a doctoral integrated member of an R&D unit, or have a contractual link with a State Laboratory; have taken parental leave, including adoption leave of 120 days or more, or have taken shared parental leave, including adoption leave of 72 days or more, within the last 12 months. The deadlines referred to in point 3, and which appear in no. 2 of Notice of the Call have as reference the opening date of Call (February 15, 2023). Deadline: 5pm Lisbon time on March 30, 2023. More information HERE.

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External Scientific Advisory Committee of CESAM visit

Published in 23/2/2023

On 9 and 10 February we received the members of CESAM´s External Scientific Advisory Committee composed of Catherine Mouneyrac, Damià Barceló, Emilio Fernández Suárez, Fred Wrona, Lindsay Stringer and Joseph M. Culp.  There were two days of intense work and discussion, in a spirit of constant improvement of our activity and processes of action.     Thank you to everyone involved!  

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Presentation of the VESPRA digital platform

Published in 14/2/2023

On the 30th and 31st of January, in the cross-border area between Cilleros, Spain, and Monfortinho, Portugal, take place the presentation of the digital decision support platform “VESPRA”, developed within the scope of the Vulnerable Elements in Spain and Portugal and Risk Assessment project.  In an international consortium coordinated by the Spanish company Meteogrid, with the University of Aveiro, the ADAI of the University of Coimbra, the Polytechnic Institute of Catalonia, the CIM of Beira Baixa, the Junta de Extremadura (Spain) and INFOEX, they promoted a LivEx exercise with civil protection agents from both countries, who had the opportunity to test this new tool.  For two days, occurrences of a cross-border rural fire were recreated, which caused a road accident with a cistern carrying chlorine. Using the VESPRA platform, civil protection agents from both countries tested and defined a joint emergency response strategy for this international occurrence.  The VESPRA Platform was developed to analyse and assess the vulnerability of elements exposed to different hazards, such as rural fires, industrial accidents, nuclear accidents and episodes of extreme weather. The tool could support the decision, both in the planning and emergency response phases, to these types of occurrences. This project has the support of the European Commission through the European Civil Protection Mechanism.    For more information:https://vespra.org/ 

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International Day of Women and Girls in Science

Published in 13/2/2023

On February 11, the eighth edition of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, established by the United Nations, was celebrated. A day that seeks to raise awareness for the continuing gender gap in access to education and scientific careers. And although we, as an organisation, try to act by example, with 54% of our members being women, we couldn’t ignore this day. Being the CESAM community composed of members from all over the world, we interrupted the work of four researchers, asking them for their opinion on women’s access to education and scientific careers in their country of origin.  

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Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership launch the first joint transnational call

Published in 16/3/2023

The Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership, a European partnership under the European Commission’s Research & Innovation Framework Programme Horizon Europe, is pleased to announce its first Joint transnational call entitled "The way forward: a thriving sustainable blue economy for a brighter future". The five priority areas of the call are: (1) Planning and managing sea-uses at the regional level(2) Development of offshore marine multi-use infrastructures to support the blue economy(3) Climate-neutral, environmentally sustainable, and resource-efficient blue food and feed(4) Green transition of Blue Food production(5) Ocean Digital Twin (ODT) test use cases at EU sea-basins and the Atlantic Ocean These 5 priority areas were selected to maximise participation while reinforcing the European blue economy through innovative solutions and improved resilience of marine ecosystems. The priority areas embrace actionable routes from science to policy to observe, assess and mitigate the impacts of climate change on vital ecological assets such as biodiversity and other ecosystem services on which our economies depend, thus supporting coastal communities. Projects in this Co-funded call must be impact-driven contributions to the transformation into a blue economy for a more resilient future and towards carbon neutrality targets, following an impact pathway approach.Projects must be developed at a pan-European level and in the different European sea basins: the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, the Baltic Sea, the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean and establish close cross-sectorial cooperation in the science, innovation, and economic sectors. Provisional deadline: 14 of April 2023 On March 2, between 13:00 GMT and 15:30 GMT, an online informative webinar was held on the 1st SBEP Joint Transnational Call. More information HERE.

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Advanced Course in Environmental epigenetics and risk assessment

Published in 7/2/2023

This Advanced Course will be held from March 20th to 24th at the University of Aveiro for researchers, PhD students enrolled in programs where environmental monitoring and/or ecological risk assessment are topical, as well as professionals interested in environmental epigenetics. This course is coordinated by Joana Luísa Pereira (CESAM/DBIO) from University of Aveiro, Jana Asselman from the Blue Growth Research Lab, Ghent University and Laia Navarro Martin from IDAEA from Spanish National Research Council. Epigenetics is an emergent field in environmental assessment provided that epigenetic changes can be seen as meaningful molecular initiating events of adverse outcome pathways in different organisms. Despite epigenetic changes have been validated in medical fields, they are only starting to be recognized as important targets for the development of biomarkers to improve our mechanistic understanding of the ecological impacts of environmental challenges. This advanced course will be held in person at the University of Aveiro, under the scope of the EU Twinning project EPIBOOST. According to Joana Pereira (CESAM/DBIO), project’s coordinator, “Within our EU project EPIBOOST, the advanced course on environmental epigenetics in risk assessment is jointly organised with CSIC and the University of Ghent, comprising lectures and practical sessions by the organizers and invited international speakers.” The course is composed of (i) theoretical lectures, where the relevant concepts and techniques in epigenetics research will be presented and critically discussed, focusing on environmental models and case studies shared by the authors with the audience; (ii) theoretical-practical sessions, where the participants will have the opportunity to learn on widely used techniques for assessing on epigenetic changes, including on bioinformatic and data analysis specifics; (iii) participative sessions focusing transferable skills linked to career planning and science communication, which are critical assets to support a successful future in the competitive field of molecular ecotoxicology and essential to communicate scientific approaches, methods and results to different stakeholders (e.g. government, industry, general public).   For more information here. Registration form here.  

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New calls to support research and innovation under EU Missions

Published in 6/2/2023

The European Commission has launched new calls for 2023 worth over €600 million to support research and innovation under the five EU Missions – Adaptation to Climate Change, Cancer, Restore our Ocean and Waters, Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities and A Soil Deal for Europe. EU Mission: Adaptation to Climate Change The Mission on Adaptation to Climate ChangeSearch supports EU regions, cities and local authorities in building resilience against the impacts of climate change. It aims to accompany by 2030 at least 150 European regions and communities towards climate resilience. Three new calls for proposals under this Mission have been opened for submission on 10 January 2023 with a total budget of €83 million. They will close on 20 September 2023. EU Mission: Restore our Ocean and Waters The Mission ‘Restore our ocean and waters by 2030 provides a systemic approach for the restoration, protection and preservation of our ocean, seas and waters by 2023. Eleven new calls for proposals under this Mission have been opened for submission on 17 January 2023 with a total budget over  €87.7 million. In addition, two joint calls with other missions with a total budget of 31 million were launched: OCEAN-SOIL and CLIMA-OCEAN-SOIL. They will close on 20 September 2023. EU Mission: Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities The Cities Mission aims to deliver 100 climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030 and to ensure that these cities act as experimentation to enable all European cities to follow suit by 2050. One new call for proposals with two topics under this Mission have been opened for submission on 10 January 2023 with a total indicative budget of €70 million. It will close on 27 April 2023. EU Mission: A Soil Deal for Europe The Mission 'A Soil Deal for Europe aims to establish 100 living labs and lighthouses to lead the transition towards healthy soils by 2030. Nine new calls for proposals under this Mission have been opened for submission on 17 January 2023 with a total budget of €126 million. They will close on 20 September 2023. Joint calls A new joint call for proposals between the Cities Mission and the Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change has been opened for submission on 10 January 2023 with a total budget of €40 million. It will close on 27 April 2023. A new joint call for proposals between the Mission Climate Adaptation, the Mission Ocean and the Mission Soil has been opened for submission on 17 January 2023 with a total budget of €15 million. It will close on 20 September 2023. A new Joint call for proposals between Mission Ocean and Waters and Mission A Soil Deal for Europe has opened for submission on 17 January to find a joint approaches and solutions to address nutrient pollution in the landscape-river-sea system in the Mediterranean sea basin.

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Call for Virtual Mobility Grants in G-Bike COST Action

Published in 3/2/2023

The third call for G-Bike's Virtual Mobility Grants is open for the VMs taking place between 1st February – 7th September 2023. Virtual Mobility is part of COST Virtual Networking Tools, which help developing skills and capacities through virtual collaboration between researchers across Europe. Virtual Mobility Grants (VMG) foster the establishment of existing networks through virtual collaborations by sharing knowledge, by learning new skills and techniques, by reaching deliverables and disseminating the Action’s results. Deadline: 15 February 2023 More information: HERE

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Prize "Impact of Science on Economy and Society in Portugal"

Published in 2/2/2023

Applications are now open for the Prize "Impact of Science on Economy and Society in Portugal: Investment, scientific employment and valorization of knowledge", promoted by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). This award aims to distinguish scientific work/articles that contribute to greater knowledge and evidence of public and private investment in science and R&D, on the economic and social development of the country, the competitiveness of companies, technology-based entrepreneurship, the internationalization of the scientific and technological system or the response to societal challenges. Deadline: 28 of February  More information: HERE

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PRIMA 2023 calls are OPEN

Published in 31/1/2023

PRIMA is a long-term European partnership aiming to foster joint R&I approaches among Mediterranean countries to improve water availability, sustainable agriculture, and food production in a region heavily distressed by climate change, urbanisation, and population growth. Consult the PRIMA Annual Work Plan 2023 that is structured around five calls for proposals:     - four Section 1 separate calls: (four topics one call for each topic);     - one multi-topic Section 2 call (three topics). Apply to PRIMA calls with projects that focus on sustainable water management practices, developing resilient and sustainable farming systems, promoting the growth of the agri-food value chain and addressing the challenges of the water-energy-food nexus. Deadline Section 1 Stage 1, March 22, 2023 Deadline Section 2 Stage 1, March 29, 2023 More information: HERE

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BBVA Foundation Award for Biodiversity Conservation

Published in 30/1/2023

The BBVA Foundation Awards for Biodiversity Conservation seek to recognize and reward the work done by conservationist organizations, institutions and agencies in carrying forward environmental conservation policies and projects, and the efforts of communication professionals who have placed their abilities at the service of protecting our natural heritage. Look for this one: BBVA Foundation Worldwide Award for Biodiversity Conservation, with prize money of 250,000 eurosRecognizing the execution of projects, policies and/or actions of particular significance for the protection and conservation of habitats, species or ecosystems in any country except Spain, completed before December 31, 2022 and yielding concrete, proven benefits for biodiversity conservation in their area of work. Information on the awards, conditions and entry forms here Deadline: March 31, 2023 at 12.00 noon (Spanish standard time).

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CESAM researcher addresses shellfish mortality in Semanário SOL

Published in 24/1/2023

Our researcher Rosa Freitas (CESAM/DBIO), addresses, in the latest issue of Semanário Sol, the mortality of bivalves in the Ria Formosa  (…) the monitoring of marine toxins in bivalve molluscs is necessary (…) 'Naturally, bivalves with toxins will need to develop defence strategies with expenditure, for example, of reserve energies that are not allocated to other processes such as growth or reproduction' (…).” Digital edition (for subscribers only) here 

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Become an evaluator of EU research projects

Published in 24/1/2023

Call for experts The European Research Executive Agency (REA) invites experts from a wide range of fields to register in the European Commission’s experts database. From this database, candidates will be selected with the most suitable profile for the following activities: - Evaluating project proposals applying for funding under Horizon Europe, the Promotion of Agricultural Products programme and the Research Fund for Coal and Steel- Monitoring the implementation of funded projects. Thematic expertise - Food and agriculture  - Soil - Environment and bio-economy  - Culture and creativity  - Democracy and society  If you’re ready to be a part of the journey from idea to action, register or update your profile today in the European Commission’s experts’ database!

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UAveiro launches 29 research grants in the scope of RRP Agendas

Published in 20/1/2023

Calls are open for 29 research grants in different scientific areas, at the University of Aveiro. The main recipients are students enrolled in UAveiro doctoral programmes. These grants are held under the projects funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) - 'Mobilizing Agendas and Green Agendas for Business Innovation'. More information: HERE

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The COASTAL project aims to develop sensors to detect paralysing toxins in crustaceans and molluscs

Published in 17/1/2023

The main objective of the COASTAL research project is reflected in its name: the development of microfluidic sensors for the rapid detection of marine toxins in sustainable aquaculture. The aim is apparently simple but challenging and with a strong societal and economic relevance. The project is financed by the 'EEA grants - Blue Growth Programme', operated by the DGPM (General Directorate for Sea Policies) and has the University of Aveiro (UA) as its proponent entity. To learn more about this project, we talked to the researcher in charge, Alisa Rudnitskaya (CESAM/DQUA).   What are you specifically trying to achieve with this project? Our ultimate goal is to develop a microfluidic system, which can be used automatically for the rapid detection of marine toxins in bivalve molluscs, particularly paralyzing toxins. These toxins have to be monitored because they are dangerous for human health, and if they are present in high concentrations in bivalves they can cause paralysis and other severe complications in humans. In a very simplified way, these toxins are produced by some microalgae species, which accumulate in bivalves because they feed on these microalgae by filtering the water. Several species of microalgae produce these paralysing toxins (not a single toxin, but a large group of toxins), and each microalgae produces a specific set of toxins, which we call the toxin profile. And what is a microfluidic system? We have been working for a long time on developing sensors (biological and chemical), and now the idea is to implement these sensors in a microfluidic system. What does this system allow? Allows to automate the entire analysis, i.e. sensor stabilisation, measurements, sensor cleaning... all the steps necessary for the analysis can thus be automated. And what is its practical application? In aquaculture companies, for example, who need to analyse and have precise control over the levels of toxins in their products. Because if the levels of toxins exceed, even slightly (and without danger to human health), the levels regulated by law, you risk having to discard your entire product as it is considered unfit for human consumption. Or if they intend, for example, to sell shellfish to other countries, which may have different legal and regulatory frameworks. The monitoring of toxins in Portugal is carried out by the IPMA (Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere) for official food control. Still, obviously, it is impossible for them to analyse, at all times, all the places where there is production (aquaculture) or harvesting (artisanal) of bivalves. For this monitoring, there are defined collection points and a mandatory weekly frequency. In fact, 99% of the samples that IPMA collects are negative samples, that is, they do not represent problems for human health... and significantly reduce the workload. Which is your objective... Yes. Currently, there are already commercial kits for rapidly detecting these toxins, but they are only suitable for some of the toxins occurring here in Portugal. As I said before, each microalgae species produces a specific toxin profile. And worldwide, the most common species are Alexandrium spp., which produce the profile of toxins that these kits can detect. But in Portugal and beyond (Spain, Mexico, Chile, New Zealand, and Japan, for example), a different microalga produces paralysing toxins that are not detected by these kits. Which makes them unsuitable for use in our country. And at the end of last year, they already held a seminar with all the project partners, correct? Yes, on the 7th of December, we held the Webinar “Advances in the detection of marine toxins using sensors”, where we had the participation of more than 80 participants from 10 different countries. We intended to inform about the project's existence and discuss the existing knowledge of the partners and the challenges we face in this area. The seminar was chaired by Dr Teresa Gomes (UA), and, in addition to presentations by several international specialists in this area, we also had the presence of Dr Sandra Silva from DGPM, who introduced the project's sponsor (EEA Grants). What are the next steps? The challenge now is to execute the project and present concrete results. We hope that in February or March, we will already have the prototype to test, and at the beginning of next year, we plan to organise another seminar to present the final results of this project. Project Partner Entities: o Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera (IPMA, I.P.), o SINTEF MinaLab e a Universidade Norueguesa de Ciências Ambientais e Biológicas (NMBU) Photo Credits: EEA Grants – Portugal, blue Growth programme

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Hop-On Call @ Widening Horizon Europe

Published in 15/1/2023

New calls for proposals for funding have just opened under Horizon Europe for Widening countries! These calls aim to improve and harmonise research and innovation across the EU by improving research-related outputs in targeted countries, contributing to build a pioneering and efficient European Research Area. The Hop On Facility call creates the possibility for legal entities established in low R&I performing Member States to join already selected actions.Deadline: 28 September 2023Want tips on applying and information on the topics? Watch the WIDERA Info Days recording and find further information on the call.

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The call 2023 for COST ACTIONS is now open

Published in 12/1/2023

Learn more about what COST funds How to apply: COST Open Call: a simple one-step application process https://bit.ly/3OfoqSTHow to apply https://bit.ly/3GUfoYXWhat it is funded https://bit.ly/3zhXTjqDocuments and guidelines https://bit.ly/3MpsHl6

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First edition of FCT RESTART Programme

Published in 10/1/2023

This programme, funded by FCT, aims to promote gender equality and equal opportunities in R&D activities and careers, by funding, on Call competitive, individual projects up to 50 thousand euros, with an execution duration of 18 months. The 1st edition of the RESTART Program has a budget allocation of 1.25 million euros. Deadline: March 30, 2023. More information: HERE

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ILTER Call for Proposals – Seed Grants, Small Grants, Thesis Support.

Published in 9/1/2023

In the framework of its Research Initiatives scheme, ILTER provides small research grants for compact projects, or for instance as seed grants for larger undertakings, or for supporting thesis or post-doctoral work by young scientists. The call for proposals is open to all interested parties, and it is set up in a bottom-up fashion, that is, applicants are free to choose a research topic of their interest, provided it is in line with at least one of the ILTER conceptual pillars and/or the ILTER scientific goals. Likewise, project durations may be freely defined.  Deadline: 01 February 2023 More information: HERE

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CESAM´s researcher featured in “Reportagem SIC” of “Primeiro Jornal”

Published in 9/1/2023

Our researcher, José Alves, addresses the growth of the population of Flamingos in the Ria de Aveiro in the SIC's “Primeiro Jornal”. You can access the SIC news piece here.You can also (re)read the section "Ask a CESAM scientist" here, where José Alves addresses this same theme.

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Call for Artists for 2023 - 2024: EMBracing the Ocean Programme

Published in 9/1/2023

The European Marine Board announced that the call for artists for the 2023-2024 EMBracing the Ocean artist-in-residence programme is now open for applications. As we enter the third year of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, the need to connect people to our Ocean is more important than ever. The EMBracing the Ocean programme provides grants of €10,000 for creative individuals and groups to co-create artwork in collaboration with Ocean scientists to expand societies’ understanding of the Ocean’s value and inspire wide reaching societal change for Ocean sustainability. How to apply You can find more information about the programme and how to apply by downloading our ‘Application Information’ document. A template for preparing submission materials is available here, and applicants are welcome to consult our FAQs. Applications can be submitted until midnight CET on 20 February 2023 using the application form.

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Partnerships for Innovation- FBR Open Call #2

Published in 6/1/2023

Call: Portugal and Norway: Partnerships for InnovationEEA Grants supports initiatives aiming at strengthening bilateral relations between Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway (Donor States) and Portugal through the Fund for Bilateral Relations. Funding will be made available only to Bilateral Initiatives that clearly demonstrate innovative approaches and/or solutions with a clear bilateral aim and with tangible bilateral results. Deadline: 26 May 2023More details: HERE

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University of Aveiro hosts “Let’s Plant Together” volunteer event

Published in 5/1/2023

The international project, Life Terra, seeks to bring people together to plant 500 million trees in Europe, thus enabling individual citizens to take action against the climate crisis.The University of Aveiro hosts the 10th meeting of the Steering Committee of this project and invites the entire community to participate in this event on the 16th and 17th of January. Entries close on January 13th. More than 40 people from 8 different countries will discuss the progress and future of this important project at the University of Aveiro campus.The Life Terra project is based on the idea that planting trees is the most cost-effective nature-based solution to capturing carbon. As part of a multifaceted mitigation strategy, planting trees can play an important role in fighting climate change and the devastation it causes (heat waves, drought, forest loss, desertification, erosion, floods).Inês Domingues, the event facilitator and researcher at the Center for Environmental and Sea Studies (CESAM) and the Department of Biology at the University of Aveiro, points out that: “this event is an opportunity to involve further the academic community in the theme of reforestation and ecological restoration, emphasising the importance of tree planting as a tool available to everyone to mitigate climate change”. For more information about the project, you can consult here.   Activities associated with the event Workshop “Calculating our carbon footprint”,January 16th, between 14:00 h and 16:00 h, at Auditorium José Grácio (22.3.1).Chrystal Moore, Samuel Allasia & Santi Sabaté from the University of Barcelona will lead the “Calculating our carbon footprint” workshop. In the workshop, we will review the fundaments and assumptions of different platforms used to calculate our carbon footprint, including one proposed by the authors, and use them to make and compare calculations.The number of participants will be limited to the auditorium capacity. UA Campus Planting EvenJanuary 16th, between 16:00 h and 16:30 h.A symbolic event of tree planting on the UA Campus. Those trees will last and grow, a promise of future deeds together. Life Terra Woods Planting Event and field lunchJanuary 17th, 10:30 h – 14:00 hWe need volunteers to plant the Life Terra Woods in Aveiro. We will leave the campus for Nariz (near Aveiro) at 10:30 h. Then we will plant together and have a field lunch. The number of participants is limited to transport capacity. To register for the event, click here. For further information, contact inesd@ua.pt

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The CARE project team promotes citizen science activities with several schools in the region

Published in 3/1/2023

The pilot project CARE (Citizen Arenas for improved environmental quality & resources use in SMART-ER cities), financed under the “ECIU University Research Institute for Smart European Regions” project, brings together six partners of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities – ECIU. Some of the activities in this project, under the responsibility of the University of Aveiro (UA) team, have already started. This team is composed of members from CESAM (Roberto Martins - local coordinator, Daniela Figueiredo and Vera Rodrigues), CICECO (Cláudia Nunes), DIGIMEDIA (Mónica Aresta and Pedro Beça) and LAQV-REQUIMTE (Elisabete Coelho and Manuel Coimbra). So far, the project has mobilised almost 100 students and teachers from two schools in the Intermunicipal Community of Aveiro, namely Escola Secundária de Vagos and Escola Básica João Afonso de Aveiro. Activities have focused on the biodiversity component and, very soon, on air and water quality, management and reuse of food waste and the creation of digital content, in favour of raising citizens' awareness of current environmental challenges and raising awareness and active participation in the efficient and intelligent management of resources in SMART-ER cities and regions. The six partners of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities – ECIU are: Dublin City University (DCU, Ireland; coordinator), University of Aveiro, Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Toulouse (INSA; France), Kaunas University of Technology (KTU, Lithuania), Linköping University (LiU, Sweden) and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB, Spain).The SMART-ER project received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement no. 101016888. To access the news piece on UA News online, click hereTo access the project website, click here Photo credits: Roberto Martins

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New edition of the Advanced Course in Experimental Design and Analysis of Multivariate Data

Published in 22/12/2022

Between January 16 and 20 of 2023, a new edition of the Advanced Course in Experimental Planning and Multivariable Data Analysis will take place, aimed mainly at students enrolled in doctoral programs at the University of Aveiro. The course is coordinated by Victor Quintino (CESAM/DBIO). The course is delivered on-line, using Zoom sessions. The course follows a problem-solving approach, exploiting teaching and learning case studies. The teaching case studies present the baseline theoretical concepts and the software (PRIMER v7 with the add-on PERMANOVA+). The learning case studies use real datasets and allow participants to apply the theoreticalconcepts and acquire autonomy in the choice and workflow of the methods. PhD students that already have their own data sets should find enough time to exploit their data and discuss the methods. For more information on the course syllabus and enrollment, access this link

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EU Missions Info Days

Published in 6/1/2023

Are you interested in funding opportunities for projects helping to reach the EU Missions goals in the areas of health, climate and the environment? Would you like to contribute to bring concrete solutions to some of the greatest challenges facing our society? Join the online sessions and learn more about the new calls in the Missions’ part of the main Work Programme 2023 under Horizon Europe for each mission: Adaptation to Climate Change Mission Cancer Mission 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart cities by 2030 Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030 Mission A Soil Deal for Europe Mission The EU Missions part of the main work programme 2023 under Horizon Europe contains new mission specific calls and topics to support the full implementation of missions according to their implementation plans. In addition, three joint calls created to favour synergies across missions and achieve their impacts will be presented. Date: 17 January 2023 - 18 January 2023 Registration: HERE

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Retaining Doctoral INPhINIT Fellowships (2023 Call)

Published in 22/12/2022

La Caixa Foundation is offering 30 fellowships for early-stage researchers of any nationality to pursue their PhD studies in any research domain in Spain or Portugal. Highlights of the Call: All knowledge areas. Maximum duration: 3 years. Funding to cover labour costs, research costs and doctoral tuition fees. Training programme in transversal skills. Application deadline February 16, 2023. Read more here. 

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Professor Amadeu Soares opinion piece at Florestas.pt

Published in 20/12/2022

CESAM's scientific coordinator, Amadeu Soares, wrote on the Florestas.pt platform about the forestry research produced at our centre: "(...) CESAM recognises the forest as a sector of the greatest importance for Portugal and is one of the few Associated Laboratories whose activity promotes the three pillars of sustainability: economic, social and environmental. (...)" You can read the opinion article here.

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We wish a merry Christmas and an excellent year of 2023 to everyone

Published in 23/12/2022

We wish a merry Christmas and an excellent year of 2023 to everyone "(...) Em Portugal, o pinheiro bravo (Pinus Pinaster) tornou-se a nossa Árvore de Natal, mas nem sempre foi assim. Pelo mundo fora, de acordo com as características do terreno, do clima e tendo em conta as espécies mais comuns, há outras árvores que se destacam como a Árvore de Natal. (…) Na Europa [por exemplo] a Árvore de Natal mais comum parece ser o Abeto-do-cáucaso (Abies nordmanniana) (...)" Todo o texto aqui  More info on Pinus Pinaster hereMore info on Abies nordmanniana here

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Published in 16/12/2022

See the Horizon Europe work programme for 2023-24 funding opportunities for Climate, Energy and Mobility HERE. The European Commission has organized an Infoday dedicated to the 2023 calls, which you can review HERE. New tools available to help you to prepare your proposal: template anotado para RIA&IA  TRL assessment tool

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ICARUS project wins the first edition of the Ciência com Arte - CICA award

Published in 16/12/2022

The ICARUS project won the first edition of the 'Science with Art - CICA' award promoted by CESAM.The prize aims to finance the creation of art pieces that express the intervention areas of our centre. Amadeu Soares, the coordinator of CESAM, says this prize "distinguishes an original way of raising public awareness of climate change and the biodiversity that is hidden from our eyes, simultaneously the most important, given the function it performs, and the most fragile" Johannes Goessling, a researcher at CESAM and the Department of Biology, led the team that included researchers João Serôdio, Silja Frankenbach, Alexandra Bastos and Vera Cardoso, all from CESAM and the Department of Biology, as well as the artist Francisca Rocha Gonçalves, artist and researcher at the University of Porto. This team has developed ice sculptures on a metric scale, which mimic the microscopic shells of microscopic algae – diatoms – to make them visible to the naked eye. For more information, consult hereFor more information on the ICARUS project, consult here

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News piece in Público features João Miguel Dias (CESAM/DFIS)

Published in 12/12/2022

In an interview for the newspaper Público, our researcher João Miguel Dias (CESAM/DFIS) addresses climate scepticism and the platform Twitter. The interview can be read here (only in Portuguese)  

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New European Bauhaus Prizes 2023

Published in 9/12/2022

The New European Bauhaus is a creative and interdisciplinary initiative that connects the European Green Deal to our living spaces and experiences. The Prizes will award up to EUR 30 000 for exemplary initiatives linking sustainability, aesthetics and inclusiveness - the three complementary values of the New European Bauhaus. The deadline for submission is: 31 January 2023 at 19:00 CET The Prizes recognise and reward existing projects and young people’s concepts, which demonstrate that the sustainable solutions promoted by the European Green Deal can also be inclusive and beautiful, bringing high-quality experiences to people's everyday lives. The Prizes will be awarded in four thematic categories (for detailed descriptions, see the Guide to Applicants): Reconnecting with nature Regaining a sense of belonging Prioritising the places and people that need it the most The need for long-term, life-cycle thinking in the industrial ecosystem In each of the four categories, there are three parallel competition strands Strand A: “New European Bauhaus Champions”, devoted to existing and completed projects with clear and positive results. Strand B: “New European Bauhaus Rising Stars”, dedicated to concepts submitted by young talents aged 30 or less. The concepts can be at different stages of development, from ideas with a clear plan to the prototype level. Strand C: “New European Bauhaus Education Champions”, devoted to initiatives focusing on education and learning. Both completed projects, as well as initiatives with a minimum level of maturity are eligible (see the Guide to Applicants for details). There will be 15 prizes in total. The jury will select 12 winners (one winner for each category in each strand). Three winners will be selected through an open public voting (one winner per strand). All winners will receive a monetary prize: EUR 30,000 for winners of the New European Bauhaus Champions (Strand A) and New European Bauhaus Education Champions (Strand C), EUR 15,000 for winners of the New European Bauhaus Rising Stars (Strand B). All finalists will be invited to Brussels to participate in the award ceremony, and will benefit from a communication package provided by the Commission in order to support the promotion of their project. More information: HERE

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Membros do CESAM elevados a Membros Eméritos da Classe de Artes, Letras e Ciências da Academia da Marinha de Portugal

Published in 15/12/2022

[content only available in Portuguese, here]

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News piece in Público features the work of some of our researchers in the field of Biodiversity

Published in 6/12/2022

The piece in the newspaper Público, 'In the Tagus estuary, birds are captured to learn from them', accompanied a team of researchers on a night of capturing and ringing birds as part of our student João Belo's PhD. As mentioned in the piece: “The information that will come out will allow João to understand the movements of the birds within the Tagus estuary and, crossing this data with others collected by the biologist, it is hoped to understand whether they are using the best feeding areas and, if not, why”. José Alves, principal investigator and supervisor of João Belo's work, explains, also in this piece, that the GPS devices placed for João's more local investigation will also be used in his study of migratory connectivity. Speaking to CESAM communication, José Alves reinforces that “It is fundamental to communicate our research in biodiversity so that society becomes aware of the biological wealth that we (still) have because without knowing it, it will never have reasons to value and protect it. On the other hand, understanding the teamwork behind the scientific content produced in this area also shows the level of technical knowledge and commitment of the researchers, which goes far beyond what one can imagine. In our case, for example, not everyone is willing to sacrifice nights of sleep to walk through the mud in the cold and the dark, to learn and train techniques for capturing and ringing birds, and finally, be able to contribute to these investigations.”

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Horizon Europe work programmes 2023-24

Published in 12/12/2022

The European Commission already adopted the new Horizon Europe Work Programme for the period 2023-2024, which has a budget of €13.5 billion. Work programmes for all areas of Horizon Europe can be found here (Reference documents > Work program & call documents > 2023-2024) and individual calls here . To find out more about the opportunities offered by the next Horizon Europe Work Programmes, you can also participate in the Infodays scheduled by the European Commission (online format): Research Infrastructures : 6 December 2022 Marie Curie Staff Exchanges : 7 December 2022 WIDER A - Wi dening Participation & Strengthening the European Research Area : 12 December 2022 Cluster 1 - Health : 19 January 2023 Cluster 2 - Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society : 17 January 2023 Cluster 4 - Digital, Industry & Space : 12-14 December 2022 Cluster 5 - Climate, Energy & Mobility : 15-16 December 2022 Cluster 6 - Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture & Environment : 13-14 December 2022 European Innovation Council - EIC : 13 December 2022 Missions : 17-18 January 2023 (save the date)   USEFUL INFORMATION Public consultation on the past, present and future of the European Research & Innovation Framework programs 2014-2027 - participate in the largest public consultation on R&I in the EU, sharing your experience on H2020 and HE and contributing to the definition of R&I priorities for 2025 -2027. Deadline: 23 February, 2023.

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Call for Short Term Scientific Missions within the PERIAMAR Cost Action

Published in 2/12/2022

The COST Action PERIAMAR aims to design an environmental risk assessment (ERA) procedure to avoid unacceptable impacts of pesticides to amphibians and reptiles. With this purpose, PERIAMAR has established a multidisciplinary network of scientists from research institutions (including CESAM & UA), regulatory agencies, chemical industry, environment-focused NGOs, and research privatebusiness that will analyse the available information and design an ERA protocol for possible implementation in the future. Short Term Scientific Missions (STSM) are exchange visits aimed at supporting individual mobility, strengthening existing networks, and fostering collaboration between COST Action participants. An STSM should specifically contribute to the scientific objectives of the COST Action, whilst at the same time allowing those partaking in the missions to learn new techniques, gain access to specific data, instruments and/or methods not available in their own institutions/organizations. STSM grants are financial contributions for travel, accommodation and subsistence expenses. Applicants will indicate the requested contribution, which can be up to a maximum of 4,000 EUR. Deadlines:- For STSM to be initiated before 28 February, 2023: 15 January 15, 2023- For STSM to be initiated after 01 March, 2023: 19 February, 2023More information: HERE  

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CESAM celebrates the World Soil Day - brief talk with Ana Bastos

Published in 2/12/2022

On the 5th of December, we will celebrate World Soil Day with a set of activities open to the public. Complexo Pedagógico, Científico e Tecnológico| from 2 pm | no registration needed To understand the importance of this date and the relevance of the research on this topic, we had an informal conversation with three of our researchers. The third researcher we met was Ana Bastos (CESAM |Departamento de Ambiente e Ordenamento da Universidade de Aveiro). The excerpts below are the result of this brief informal conversation, which took place in their laboratories. Video available here Communication_CESAM: ‘How important are soils in our daily lives? Ana Bastos: Our life revolves around the soil. Soil performs numerous vital functions, and in doing so, it provides us with multiple services. We could spend the rest of the day talking about the functions that the soil performs, but there are actually some that we come across more in our day-to-day life: it is structure and support for our homes and buildings; it is the basis for producing our food (by the way, FAO Fact Sheets estimate that around 95% of the calories we use daily come from the soil) but it also provides biomass and raw materials (including the textile fibers for our clothing) ; regulates the abundance and quality of our water resources (including extreme events such as floods), as well as the quality of the air and atmosphere (and in this case, being the 2nd largest carbon reserve on the planet, after the oceans, it plays a role central to climate regulation); and the one for which I have a special preference, is that it is a reservoir of life and biodiversity 'par excellence', biodiversity that has countless essential applications, such as in the food industry and in biomedicine (did you know that many of our drugs, including antibiotics, immunosuppressants and antitumours, does it come from (micro)organisms in the soil?). However, soils are subject to numerous pressures, namely from anthropogenic origin. Therefore, it is vital that we investigate how our activities impact the soil to define concrete goals and solutions to concrete problems, namely by the agri-food and agroforestry sectors. And regarding soil research, CESAM finds itself in a leading position regarding the inter- and trans-disciplinarity that characterise it and the quality and applicability of the results generated here. And I would like to invite these sectors: look for CESAM, look for our services, because we have every interest in working with you to solve your problems, which are, after all, our problems. Communication_CESAM: ‘And what research questions are you trying to answer in your laboratory related to this topic?’ Ana Bastos: Our research focuses on the study and sustainable application of biochar (a product of biomass pyrolysis) in vulnerable soils to improve and restore some specific functions without compromising others. Hence the reference to “sustainable” requires a lot of behind-the-scenes work to identify which combinations of factors guarantee this commitment. Now, what soil functions are we trying to optimise? In general, they relate to: the ability to store water (which we call the function of the soil's “sponge”), to improve the adaptability of our terrestrial ecosystem to climate change and combat desertification; the ability to retain nutrients, which, combined with water retention, leads to an increase in plant growth rate and agricultural/forestry productivity; 3carbon sequestration to mitigate climate change and reduce the emission of greenhouse gases; finally, another essential function that has become a focal point of our work (because there is still very little research on this subject outside CESAM) has to do with improving the habitat for soil pollinators and macroinvertebrates, considering the role fundamental importance that these communities have, namely in terms of agricultural production and terrestrial trophic chains. Of course, we work, above all, in an interdisciplinary way, and we have some key partnerships here, namely with Terraprima, Instituto Superior Técnico (IST-ID), Instituto Superior de Agronomia, o MED of the University of Évora, the Bairrada Wine Station (DRAPC) and Harper-Adams University (UK). However, we remain open and interested in establishing new collaborations inside and outside the UA.

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Fluviário de Mora 2022 Award - Young Scientist of the Year

Published in 2/12/2022

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This award aims to distinguish a student (PhD, MSc, BSc) who has published, as first author, an 2022 article (SCI journal), on conservation and biodiversity of aquatic resources (estuaries and rivers). The present edition will reward the distinguished researcher with the recognition of the quality and importance of his work and with a monetary prize of 1000 euros. Applications must be submitted by January 15, 2023 and may be made by the supervising professors, co-authors of the articles or by the students themselves. Each candidate may only submit one article to the competition.

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BBVA Foundation: 18th Biodiversity Conservation Awards

Published in 1/12/2022

BBVA Foundation Worldwide Award for Biodiversity Conservation This award aims to recognize the execution of projects, policies and/or actions of particular significance for the protection and conservation of habitats, species or ecosystems in any country except Spain, completed before 31 of December of 2022 that yielded concrete, proven benefits for biodiversity conservation in their area of work. Candidates should provide from three up to a maximum of six letters of nomination, with signatories from among the following categories: Representatives of national, international or supranational public institutions with competences in nature conservation. Office-holders (presidents, directors) of scientific. Scientists or experts of acknowledged repute in ecology and conservation biology. National and international conservationist organizations. Letters of nomination should be provided directly by their signatories before the deadline for entries specified in point 4 of these call conditions. They should offer a short reasoned account of the significance of the specific conservation project put forward for the award, along with its overall contribution to environmental conservation. Prize webpage: HERE DEADLINE: 31 March 2023 at 11:00 h

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CESAM celebrates the World Soil Day - brief talk with Susana Loureiro

Published in 1/12/2022

On the 5th of December, we will celebrate World Soil Day with a set of activities open to the public. Complexo Pedagógico, Científico e Tecnológico| from 2 pm | no registration needed To understand the importance of this date and the relevance of the research on this topic, we had an informal conversation with three of our researchers. The second researcher we met was Susana Loureiro (CESAM |Departamento de Biologia da Universidade de Aveiro). The excerpts below are the result of this brief informal conversation, which took place in their laboratories. Video available here Communication_CESAM: ‘How important are soils in our daily lives? Susana Loureiro: One of the essential functions of the soil is to filter out all the chemical substances that end up in the soil. And they end up in the soil, from pesticides, agricultural fertilisers... sludge from wastewater treatment plants end up in the soil... all these components have chemical substances that can have high or low mobility, that is, travel through the vertical profile of the soils of a quickly, slowly or not at all and remain motionless. And if they travel quickly through the soil profile, they also quickly reach the groundwater, which is the source of the water we drink and the water that goes to the rivers. Communication_CESAM:‘And why do we need research on soils?’ Susana Loureiro: Our objective is to understand if the soils have any contaminants that will impact, for example, a river or a lake, or if it stops us from providing a service related to primary production. In the agricultural component, for example, which is one of the essential services provided by soils, imagine that a pesticide is sprayed and it rains heavily that day, and this causes runoff into a stream that is in an adjacent location. Automatically, everything you apply will flow into the river. Currently, our soils are saturated many times with nitrates and phosphates due to the intense application and also with some chemical compounds that are persistent in the soils.What we do here is simulate this runoff into the rivers through a mixture that we make of water with soil, which is then agitated, centrifuged, extracted and tested with living organisms - freshwater aquatic organisms. And even in 'blind' samples (which we don't know their chemical composition), these organisms will give us clues about the health of that soil. In addition to several projects currently underway, we have a partnership with a company called Entogreen, a company dedicated to the production of insects and which has an environmental circularity component. The insects feed on waste, whether plant or waste that cannot be disposed of in an environmentally sustainable way, for example, olive pomace from olive oil production – which is a waste that doesn’t have an effective treatment because it has a very complex and toxic matrix.These and other residues, such as plant residues that come from supermarkets, are given to the insects, and they process them; that is, they eat them, and their waste, together with the seedlings of the insect larvae, are pelleted and form a very good for soils. Another component that we are also working on is more oriented towards environmental pollution, which is also linked to the soil ecosystem. There are several European and world projects that study and shape how we are going to be in a few years and the future is not very bright. We are losing a lot of soil biodiversity, which is very important for the normal and natural recycling that soils do of organic matter, and nutrients...We try to help with monitoring tools; that is, we don't do remediation processes, we don't do the waste treatment. What we do is verify the effectiveness of the treatment because chemically analysing a matrix may not be enough because some specific compound may ‘fail’. But we use living beings (earthworms) that are capable of indicating whether or not there is something that is not right in these soil samples.

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CESAM celebrates the World Soil Day

Published in 30/11/2022

In celebration of this date, CESAM (Center for Environmental and Marine Studies) is organising next Monday (December 5th) a set of public activities in the atrium of the Pedagogical, Scientific and Technological Complex of the University of Aveiro, starting at 14:00 h and no registration is needed. In 2013, the United Nations General Assembly established December 5 as World Soil Day. And since 2015, the Global Partnership for Soil and the Food and Agriculture Organization have associated a motto to World Soil Day that aims to alert the world to the various problems related to soil degradation. This year, World Soil Day celebrates the theme “Soils: where food begins” to highlight the relevance of implementing sustainability and food security at a global level. With this objective in mind, CESAM through its thematic line “Ecology and Functional Biodiversity”, presents the following activities to the public: Exhibition and tasting of food products whose production involves sustainable practices. The companies Banca Terra, Vale Aromático, Tecmafoods: Insect based feed & food, Lda, Susana Patrícia da Silva Rodrigues, Lda and an Informal Exchange Group will be present. Lecture “Insects and agriculture: the necessary circularity for a sustainable future” - Professor Susana Loureiro | 16:00 h | room 23.1.5 This thematic line, which has contributions from eight of the 12 research groups that make up CESAM, has Isabel Lopes as coordinator, principal researcher, and assistant researcher Nelson Abrantes as co-coordinator, both from the Department of Biology at the University of Aveiro. According to Isabel Lopes, “the celebration of World Soil Day constitutes a platform, at a global level, to raise awareness among the various actors in human society for the importance of healthy soil and for the sustainable management of resources and ecosystem services that it provides us. With this awareness, it is intended to encourage, on a global scale, governments, various organisations, communities and individuals to commit to the protection and conservation of biodiversity and soil function.” Because soil is a non-renewable and finite natural resource, its use for the most diverse anthropogenic activities has contributed to the fact that currently, 33% of the soils worldwide are considered degraded. This loss of healthy soil compromises some of its ecosystem functions and services, such as food and drinking water supply. It also constitutes a relevant threat to the maintenance and conservation of biodiversity. Therefore, it is essential to generate knowledge about the functioning of soils and understand their main threats.As Isabel Lopes points out, “under the Thematic Line Ecology and Functional Biodiversity, of CESAM, we develop innovative research focused on understanding the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems, giving particular emphasis to the study of their communities and interactions in response to various environmental disturbances, including global changes. Furthermore, we develop methodologies and new technologies that allow the recovery and correction of degraded soils, promoting the restoration of their functions. In agricultural production, we are also involved in developing more environmentally friendly plant protection products and sustainable food production strategies”.

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CESAM celebrates the World Soil Day - brief talk with Sónia Rodrigues

Published in 30/11/2022

On the 5th of December, we will celebrate World Soil Day with a set of activities open to the public. Complexo Pedagógico, Científico e Tecnológico| from 2 pm | no registration needed To understand the importance of this date and the relevance of the research on this topic, we had an informal conversation with three of our researchers. The first researcher we met was Sónia Rodrigues (CESAM |Departamento de Ambiente e Ordenamento da Universidade de Aveiro). The excerpts below are the result of this brief informal conversation, which took place in their laboratories. Video available here Communication_CESAM: ‘How important are soils in our daily lives? Of course, agriculture and food security are absolutely essential for our society, given that we have a growing world population. But there is a whole set of other soil functions that allow, for example, dealing with extreme meteorological events, where the ability of water to infiltrate the soil is essential to control flooding in areas where this is possible. (...) Soil also plays a vital role in combating climate change regarding carbon storage. (…) It also serves as a filter for leaching water and protecting the water quality and hence often accumulating contaminants that reach the soil.And then naturally, in terms of human health, because soil health also impacts human health, because if we protect soil ecosystems, reducing their contamination, this has a positive effect on the health of organisms, animals and of the populations of these places. Communication_CESAM:‘And why do we need research on soils?’ Human activity has been developing pressures on the soil system that limit its ability to develop its natural functions. Currently, it is estimated that between 60 and 70% of soil ecosystems are degraded in Europe, making it difficult for the soil to perform its natural functions.And our research work has focused on specific aspects of these soil functions. First, we started by developing a set of studies where we tried to understand the soil's filtering capacity and the processes involving soil contaminants. And how could these contaminants be available to organisms and plants from a food safety point of view.Presently, we have been focusing on recovering some of the lost functions and reusing materials and by-products that we are collecting from industries, from a circular economy perspective. After these by-products are incorporated into soil amendments and fertilisers, they will be returned to the soil, helping to recover areas where vegetation no longer grows and where its filtering functions are at risk. This is part of the perspective of the new European fertiliser regulation, updated in 2019, which allowed the incorporation of organic waste and some industry by-products in fertiliser materials, provided that they comply with the environmental and safety requirements of the new legislation.Additionally, our research also has a significant component in using nanotechnology and new nanomaterials that can be used as vehicles for more efficient application of both fertilisers and some pesticide products.This work has been carried out in partnership with the University of Carnegie Mellon for some years now (…), and we also have a very close collaboration with the Laboratoire Géosciences Environnement Toulouse (GET) of the University of Toulouse. (…) We also collaborate with industries, such as the Navigator Company, an industry with which we have collaborated to supply some waste in a partnership within the scope of a scientific project, 'LIFE No_Waste'.

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COASTAL project Webinar: Advances in detecting marine toxins using sensors

Published in 24/11/2022

The COASTAL (MiCrofluidic sensOrs for rApid detection of marine toxins in SusTainable AquacuLture)Project team is pleased to invite you to participate in the Webinar Advances in detecting marine toxins using sensors which will take place online (via Zoom) at 10 am (Lisbon Time) on December 7th 2022.   This Webinar aims to present an overview of technologies in detecting marine toxins in bivalves and other unexpected vectors and to present a novel approach for the detection of PST (Paralytic Shellfish Toxins) through microfluidic sensors.                                                                                                                                              Agenda 1.            10h00 | Opening and Presentation of the COASTAL project – Alisa Rudnitskaya (University of Aveiro | Portugal) 2.            10h10 | Method refinements, new technologies and unexpected vectors for marine toxins – Andrew Turner (CEFAS | UK) 3.            10h30 | Detecting marine toxins and other targets with biotechnological strategies – Mónica Cámpas (IRTA | Spain) 4.            10h50 | National monitoring programs of marine toxins for bivalves from Norway and Portugal – John Aasen (NMBU | Norway) & Maria João Botelho (IPMA | Portugal) 5.            11h10 | Chemical and biosensors for the detection of paralytic shellfish toxins – Alisa Rudnitskaya (University of Aveiro | Portugal) 6.            11h30 | Integrating sensors with microfluidics; challenges and opportunities – Frøydis Sved Skottvoll & Michal Mielnik (SINTEF | Norway) 7.            11h50 | General discussion and final remarks   Moderation: M. Teresa S.R. Gomes (University of Aveiro | Portugal)   The webinar is free but registration is required (online participation limited to 100 entries) and the deadline is December 5th 2022. Link to registration: https://forms.gle/feZh4pLFKCrBAZ3v8   The COASTAL project seeks to mitigate the negative effects of harmful algal blooms by developing novel miniaturized sensing screening tool for rapid and sensitive detection of PST. The main intended end-users of such tools are bivalve producers and reference labs involved in toxins surveillance.

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Seminar 'Ocean Break', organised by CESAM, discusses the ecological implications of cancers in Bivalves

Published in 22/11/2022

November 25th (Friday) | 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm | lecture theatre 9.1.1 (DEMaC) | No registration needed. This edition of 'Ocean Break', a CESAM’s seminar in marine science, will take place on November 25th (Friday), researcher Selia Diaz will address the types of cancers that affect bivalves and their ecological implications. Bivalves are a great source of food and an important economic resource in coastal regions. Mass mortalities in bivalve sandbeds are frequently associated with diseases, including cancer. Cancer is caused by mutations that alter the cell cycle. However, the causal agents can be diverse and according to these also their ecological implications. Currently, bivalves cancers have been associated with contamination, caused by viruses, and even with immortal cancer cells that are transmitted from one individual to another. The connectivity of the oceans and the simple immune system of bivalves provide a new model for the study of these diseases. Photo by: Selia Diaz

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OYSTER call for new members

Published in 17/11/2022

OYSTER (Orienting young scientists of EuroMarine) is looking for enthusiastic, engaged and creative early career scientists (PhD students or post-doctoral researchers within 5 years after the completion of PhD) who are willing to play an important role in advocating EuroMarine and promoting the role and relevance of marine science and the ocean in general. OYSTER in particular seeks individuals within the field of marine social science to join the group. How to apply: HERE Deadline: 9 December 2022

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Mário Ruivo Memorial Lecture - EXTENDED DEADLINE

Published in 10/1/2023

Early Career Ocean Professionals (up to 40 years of age) invited to pay tribute to Professor Mário Ruivo through their outstanding projects. Travel and accommodation will be sponsored for the winning applicant to present her/his research at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France, in front of Governments, partners and stakeholders at the 32nd Session of the IOC/UNESCO Assembly (June 2023). This new opportunity for ECOPs will be available every two years. Endorsed by the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, this initiative intends to stimulate and recognise ECOPs who are contributing in a substantive way to the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda - Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 14, ‘Life below water’, and to the vision and mission  of the Ocean Decade. See the Regulation and Application form. How to apply: HERE EXTENDED Deadline: 13 January 2023

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Dia Nacional do Mar 2022

Published in 17/11/2022

Content available in portuguese only

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UA research on marine fungi in focus in the Biosphere program

Published in 16/11/2022

The RTP2's "Biosphere" show highlighted the work of researchers Alberto Abreu, Ana Cristina Esteves, Artur Alves and João Pinto da Costa, who are dedicated to studying marine fungi in themes ranging from their diversity to their application biotechnology.  Alberto Abreu, Ana Cristina Esteves, and Artur Alves are researchers at CESAM (Center for Environmental and Sea Studies at the University of Aveiro) and the Department of Biology. João Pinto da Costa is a researcher at CESAM and the Department of Chemistry at the University of Aveiro. For more information, see here.

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CESAM offers 10 positions for Incoming Doctoral INPhINIT fellowships programme

Published in 17/11/2022

CESAM offers up to 10 research projects for doctoral fellowships to be carried out in a multidisciplinary and international research environment. In total, the programme, funded by "la Caixa" Foundation, will fund 35 doctoral fellowships for early-stage researchers of any nationality to pursue their PhD studies in the best Spanish and Portuguese research centres with excellence distinction.  For research to be carried out in CESAM, University of Aveiro, candidates must have lived in Portugal for less than 12 months in the last 3 years. To learn more about the 2023 call of incoming INPhINIT fellowship programme, visit the website HERE. You can find all about the CESAM research projects through the LINK. Suitable Doctoral programmes of the University of Aveiro are: Biotechnology; Do*Mar: Marine Science, Technology and Management; Environmental Sciences and Engineering (taught in English); Geosciences; Chemistry Deadline for submitting application: 25 January 2023, at 13h (Lisbon time).

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ATMO-ACCESS Trans-National Access CALL APPLICATION

Published in 8/11/2022

H2020 project Sustainable Access to Atmospheric Research Facilities (ATMO-ACCESS) aims to address the needs for developing sustainable solutions based on the principles of open access and to develop guidelines and recommendations for governance, management and funding for efficient and effective access provision suited to distributed atmospheric Research Infrastrucutes (RIs).  ATMO-ACCESS supports Trans-National Access (TNA) to services offered by selected, first-class European atmospheric research facilities. The access can be in person or remotely, but is in any case free of charge and includes the logistical, technological and scientific support and the specific training that is needed to use the services provided by the facility. Users are warmly encouraged to interact directly with the PIs (user group leader) of the facilities during the preparation of TNA proposals and before their submission to verify details of access, address practicalities and explore. Deadline: January 5th 2023 More details: HERE    

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Documentaries with CESAM brand awarded at an international film festival

Published in 4/11/2022

The documentaries “Life Lines – Architecture for wildlife” and “ECOMARE – Research and Rescue of marine species” received the 1st and 2nd prizes, respectively, in the “Environment & Ecology” category at the Art&TuR Festival 2022. Joaquim Pedro Ferreira, a member of CESAM and co-author of these documentaries, emphasises that “these awards, like other previous ones, are the recognition of a bet won by CESAM in the audiovisual area. The idea is to include the scientific theme, through research work, in the audiovisual narrative."  For more information, click here

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Ciclo de Cafés de Ciência

Published in 2/11/2022

Our Planet, our Health Framed on "One Health Day" celebrations, CESAM and and the Fábrica Centro Ciência Viva of Aveiro are organizing the science cycle "Our Planet, our Health". This cycle aims to address the ideal health for people, animals and the environment. During the month of November, on Thursdays, and in an informal atmosphere, the theme will be addressed by guests who are experts in different areas. PROGRAM

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Call for Short Term Scientific Missions within the PRIORITY Cost Action

Published in 28/11/2022

Framed in the Cost Action (CA) 'PRIORITY - Plastics monitoRIng detectiOn RemedIaTion recoverY’ a call is open to Short Term Scientific Missions (STSM) that directly contribute to any of the Working Groups of the CA. STSM are great opportunities for researchers to share/learn techniques, gain skills, gain access to specific data, instruments and/ or methods that may not be available at their home institution or laboratory. EXTENDED application deadline: 31/12/2022 (noon, Paris/France Time) More HERE.  

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Online Workshop: Secure funding and forge your own career path

Published in 8/11/2022

Securing funding for your work is a crucial skill for your scientific career. Writing applications is just the tip of the iceberg - many soft skills and actions are needed before you start writing to be efficient and effective in funding procurement. This is a FREE course! Please note that this training is only open for ECRs - PhD students or individuals holding a postdoctoral position within 5 years of their PhD degree award (discounting any time spent on maternity, illness or similarly extensive non-holiday leave) at the time of the Workshop. The Module 1 “Sink or Swim! Secure your future in research” was held on the 8th of November 2022. The Module 2 - "Expand your Career Network" will be held on the 22th November 2022, 10:00-13:00 CET! This interactive workshop is open to any Early Career Researcher (ECR) affiliated to any EuroMarine member organisation! Register HERE

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Launching event of the FoRES Project

Published in 21/10/2022

The FoRES project launching event, financed by EEA Grants, coordinated by CESAM, will take place on October 27th at the Physics Department of the University of Aveiro. This event aims to formally mark the beginning of the project, making it known in a practical way to other stakeholders by bringing together the FoRES team and other interlocutors. Please, confirm your presence through the email address cesam-fores@ua.pt

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CESAM researchers participate in the International Science Festival (FIC.A)

Published in 20/10/2022

On 16 October, the National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA), in collaboration with CESAM, participated in the International Science Festival (FIC.A), in Oeiras. Among several activities, an animation video was presented on the theme "Digestion in a test tube", aiming to show how we study human digestion in the laboratory. See the video: HERE

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CESAM researchers awarded at Microbiologia2022

Published in 20/10/2022

CESAM PhD students João Duarte and Sandra Hilário, both from the Department of Biology, were awarded at the Microbiology 2022 congress. João Duarte received the award for Best short presentation in the panel food microbiology with the theme "Application of bacteriophages during the decontamination process of bivalves: preliminary studies". In turn, Sandra Hilário received an honourable mention, for her ability to communicate science, in the environmental microbiology panel with the topic "Sequencing and genome analysis of two pathogenic fungi for blueberry cultivation". Microbiologia22, organised by the Portuguese Society of Microbiology, was the first congress of microbiology in Portuguese language, with the participation of 75 young microbiologists, developing their work in Portugal, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Spain and Finland.

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Advanced Course of Do*Mar PhD programme

Published in 19/10/2022

Marine and Coastal Ecosystem Services From Mapping to Modelling The course will follow a problem-based paradigm, learning the most advanced Ecosystem Services mapping and modeling techniques from theory and practice using case studies. Dates: 14-16 th November 2022 Location: Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD) Programme HERE

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Call for two PhD grants under the Collaboration Protocol between FCT and the AIR Centre

Published in 18/10/2022

An international call is open for 2 (two) PhD grants in the fields of Deep-Sea Ecosystems and Upwelling Ecosystems: 1. Deep-Sea Ecosystems: Megabenthic communities from cold-water coral reefs across the deep Atlantic Ocean 2. Upwelling Ecosystems: Marine carbonate system in the Northwest Atlantic upwelling ecosystem Both workplans will be carried out in the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) of the University of Aveiro, in collaboration with other international institutions. The candidates will be enrolled in the Doctoral programme Do*Mar – Marine Science, Technology and Management. The call is open from October 15th to December 10th 2022 (23:59 Lisbon Time) More details HERE.

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Water4All Call for funding

Published in 12/10/2022

Management of water resources: resilience, adaptation and mitigation to hydroclimatic extreme events and management tools The deadline for submitting pre-proposals is 31st October 2022, 15:00 CET Looking for a partner or a project to join?  Use the Water4All Partner Search Tool available here Water4All Partnership has just published the Frequently Asked Questions on the scope and submission procedure. The document is available here The applicants can watch the webinar recording and download the webinar PPT here. FCT FINANCIAL COMMITMENT AND FUNDING REGULATIONS (PORTUGAL) National funding commitment for the call: 500.000 € Maximum requested funding for a consortium coordinated by Portugal: 150.000 € Maximum requested funding for a consortium with Portuguese participation: 100.000 €

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New collaborative project to boost reduction of the environmental impact of pharmaceutical products through their entire life cycle

Published in 11/10/2022

The ETERNAL project (grant agreement No 101057668) held a successful kick-off meeting in Valencia, Spain on 27th and 28th September. This new four-year EC Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Action will contribute to sustainable development of pharmaceutical manufacture, use and disposal, by using and promoting full life cycle approaches covering design, manufacture, usage, and disposal, assessing the environmental risks of not only active pharmaceutical ingredients and residues or metabolites, but other chemicals and by-products of the production process. In other words, safe and sustainable pharmaceutical lifecycles by design. The ETERNAL consortium represents a powerful team of sixteen parties bringing together knowledge and perspectives from the EU pharmaceuticals manufacturing value-chain, world-leading academics, specialist research centres and innovative SME. The project is being coordinated by the Instituto Tecnológico del Plástico (AIMPLAS), a leading Spanish Research and Technology Organisation with an active interest in addressing the sustainability challenges facing the health industry.    The University of Aveiro, by CESAM, will be involved in the hazard assessment of new greener pharmaceuticals, during their life cycle, in order to achieve a lower risk to the environment.

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NEW TIME! Alternet & CESAM SPI Webinar: Challenges in marine conservation and sustainable use

Published in 26/10/2022

Time and date: 13 p.m. to 15 p.m. (lisbon hour) on 27 October 2022 CESAM will host the fourth installment in the Alternet Science-Policy Interface seminar series. This free, open webinar will address such topics as gaps in knowledge, biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction, and capacity building and technology transfer in marine sciences. Presentations will be given by three specialist researchers. The webinar will be moderated by Dr. Ana Lillebø, a well-established researcher in Coastal Ecosystems in a transdisciplinary context. Ana Lillebø is the Vice-Chair of Alternet Council and member of the 3rd Eklipse Knowledge Coordination Body. Registration for this webinar is free. Please register here. Additional information: HERE

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CESAM researcher Luísa Magalhães awarded by FLAD to study parasites in marine ecosystems

Published in 4/10/2022

The CESAM researcher won the FLAD Science Award Atlantic, with 300 M€ to study parasitic diseases in marine ecosystems. In this third edition of the FLAD Science Award Atlantic, the jury considered the project "UNTIE - UNravelling the role of emerging parasitic diseases in the structure and function of coastal communiTIes and ecosystems" very relevant from the scientific point of view and of great interest to Portugal, since some of the molluscs and bivalves to be studied represent one of the main export sectors. The project is in partnership with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center of the Smithsonian Institution in the United States. According to FLAD, the work to be developed by the researcher from the CESAM & Department of Biology of the University of Aveiro will focus on the impact of trematode parasites that infect marine invertebrates, especially bivalves of high ecological and economic importance, using experiments in Chesapeake Bay in the United States and in the Ria de Aveiro. More details: https://www.flad.pt/luisa-magalhaes-e-a-vencedora-do-flad-science-award-atlantic-2022/

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New paper with CESAM co-authoring highlights opportunities for ladybug conservation worldwide

Published in 7/10/2022

A paper on the global status of ladybugs, published in the journal Conservation Biology, reveals the threats they face and presents a roadmap for their conservation. Their global decline is thought to be related to human activities, and aspects of the ecology of many of the species in this family are still poorly understood. The research had the collaboration of two CESAM researchers, Olga Ameixa and Ana Lillebo. More details: Universidade de Aveiro (ua.pt)

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CESAM researcher appointed expert for the EU Mission: Restore our Ocean and Waters

Published in 10/10/2022

The CESAM researcher CESAM, Helena Vieira, has been appointed to the expert group of the European Union (EU) Mission "Restoring our Oceans and Waters", a mandate that will last until 2025. The Mission "Restoring our oceans and waters by 2030" is one of five for which international expert groups have now been appointed under Horizon Europe, the EU's research and innovation programme. More than 1100 experts competed for these groups. The selection process, according to the European Commission's website (https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/news/all-research-and-innovation-news/commission-announces-top-experts-advise-eu-missions-2022-09-06_en) sought to ensure that members would be independent personalities of recognized merit with proven experience in public service and citizen involvement, and from diverse backgrounds: business, public administration, science, culture, citizen involvement, and civil society organizations.  More details: HERE  

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2022 European Researchers’ Night

Published in 29/9/2022

Several research projects of CESAM will be exhibited at the Science and Technology Fair - "SCIENCE@UA", which takes place between 9pm and midnight on September 30th.See the projects HERE.

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BlueNIGHTs Project celebrates the European Researchers' Night in Torreira

Published in 26/9/2022

Researchers from CESAM & DBio (Daniela Figueiredo, Ana Hilário, Ascensão Ravara and Clara Rodrigues) and from INET-md & DeCA (Paulo Rodrigues) propose a programme for the European Researchers' Night outside the city, on September 30th, in the fishing village of Torreira (municipality of Murtosa). The activities take place within the European project "BlueNIGHTs - A touch of Blue in the EU Researchers' Nights for a more Sustainable Use of the Ocean" where other activities are planned until the end of 2023. See the PROGRAM

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Final event of the COACH project

Published in 27/9/2022

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The final event of the COACH project ("COoperative approACH applied to conservation and management of cockles") will take place on September 27, 28 and 29. All results generated on the biology, habitat, distribution and fishing of cockles in the Ria de Aveiro will be shared with stakeholders. The support tool for management and conservation actions created by the COACH team (an open access platform available on the Internet) will be officially launched and accompanied by a demonstration of its use. The third day of the event, which coincides with the celebrations of the World Maritime Day, will be dedicated to environmental education in a unique approach of knowledge transfer, in the field, between scientists, fishermen and students.

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First presential meeting of COASTAL project held at University of Aveiro

Published in 23/9/2022

The meeting of the project COASTAL – MiCrofluidic sensOrs for rApid detection of marine toxins in SusTainable AquacuLture, funded by EEAGRANTS, took place on 19 and 20 September at the University of Aveiro. This meeting allowed to assess the status of the various tasks of the project, enabling the different partners to present the work developed during the first months and to plan the next activities to be developed. The COASTAL project gathers a multidisciplinary team of experts in the field of micro and nanofabrication of biological and chemical sensors, electrochemistry and analytical chemistry, who are working on the development of new approaches for the detection of PST (Paralytic Marine Toxins) in bivalve molluscs. The project promoter is the University of Aveiro with the Portuguese Institute of Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) playing the role of partner in Portugal. The following Norwegian entities also participate in this project: the SINTEF MiNaLab and the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU).

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CESAM hosts a SOLAS seminar, 19th October 2022, on-line

Published in 23/9/2022

Time: 15:00-17:00 UTC+1, Wednesday, 19th October 2022 | Online Register here Frameworked on the international network SOLAS, CESAM will host a Seminar that features 3 keynote presentations addressing different aspects of the ocean-atmosphere exchange of aerosol particles, namely the impact of coastal pollution and anthropogenic stressors on marine ecosystems, and the abundance and properties of marine aerosols.  Surface Ocean - Lower Atmosphere Study (SOLAS) project is an international research initiative aiming to understand the key biogeochemical-physical interactions and feedbacks between the ocean and atmosphere.    

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CESAM hosts the OYSTER workshop

Published in 23/9/2022

On 29th and 30th of September, a workshop for will be held at the University of Aveiro for the early-career researchers members (MSc, PhD students and young researchers - PhD up to 5 years) of OYSTER – EuroMarine (Orienting Young ScienTists of EuromaRine) to address their problems faced in academic life. Location and Date: 29th September - 10:15 AM - Meeting and Translation Room – Central and Rectory Building - Building nº25, University of Aveiro Sign up here: https://forms.office.com/r/fcJeqmeQk8 until 27th September We will be 9 members from several countries/institutions that belong to EuroMarine: Spain, France, Italy, Poland, Finland and Portugal of course.  Created in 2018, OYSTER is an independent working group funded by the EuroMarine network. OYSTER is dedicated to promoting and supporting opportunities for Early Career Researchers (ECRs) in marine science. The aims of OYSTER are:     - ENGAGE with and represent early career scientists within the EuroMarine network;     - CONTRIBUTE towards the cohesive outreach and capacity building of early career scientists across EuroMarine member organisations;     - DEVELOP initiatives to support and integrate young researchers within the European marine landscape. Join OYSTER members and bring your issues and concerns as ECR in marine science! We want to hear from you to work for a better marine-science career for ECRs!

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CESAM coordinates two "Twinning" projects funded by Horizon Europe

Published in 27/9/2022

Two projects coordinated by CESAM, with a total European funding of over 2.5 million euros, aim to enhance the skills and the research profile of the University of Aveiro in two research areas. Both projects are framed within the Widening - Widening Participation and Spreading Excellent actions of the horizontal and transversal pillar of Horizon Europe programme. These actions aim to enhance networking activities between the research institutions of the Widening countries (as Portugal) and top-class leading counterparts at EU level by linking it with at least two research institutions from two different Member States, building on the huge potential of networking for excellence through knowledge transfer and exchange of best practice between research institutions and partners.  The project EPIBOOST - BOOSting excellence in environmental EPIgenetics, coordinated by Joana Pereira, researcher at CESAM & DBio, integrates in the consortium two internationally recognized organizations in the scientific area of the project: the University of Ghent, Belgium, and the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Spain, to tackle the challenges arising from the uptake of epigenetics in Environmental Assessment frameworks, particularly concerning the aquatic compartment. The project FONDA - FOstering Nitrogen Deposition Assessment over Portugal, coordinated by Alexandra Monteiro, researcher of CESAM & DAO, focuses on the area of modelling and mapping of atmospheric emissions, particularly of ammonia. The project involves the formation of a strategic partnership with the R&D institution TNO, in the Netherlands, and the University of Berlin (FUB), in Germany.

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CESAM participates in the celebrations of the International Day of the Microorganism

Published in 15/9/2022

September 17th, Saturday, 5:30 p.m, at Centro de Ciência Viva of Aveiro. In the scope of the ccelebrations, the Centro de Ciência Viva of Aveiro organizes the Science Coffee "Microorganisms: heroes or villains" with the participation of the Professors Adelaide Almeida and Artur Alves and the Researcher Tânia Caetano from CESAM & DBio. In this event, the fundamental role that microorganisms play not only in the life sciences, but also in our daily lives will be highlighted.

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INTERNATIONAL GULL MEETING, 27-29 October 2022, University of Aveiro

Published in 9/9/2022

The 13th International Gull Meeting (IGM 2022) will take place in the University of Aveiro, Portugal, from 27 to 29 of October – Get prepared! The Meeting main goals are to share information and scientific knowledge about Seagulls from around the world. Seagulls are intelligent, versatile, and opportunistic birds. They are commonly seen in beaches, fishing ports and more recently in urban areas. There is a lot to be said, discuss and reveled about Seagulls. We will accept all contributions from amateur to high-scientific: HERE (deadline: 23rd of September). Registrations HERE (deadline: 30rd of September). PROVISIONAL PROGRAM: 27 Oct. Presentations (morning and afternoon) 28 Oct. Morning: Gull watching around the city – Aveiro fishing harbour, Barra and Costa Nova beach; Afternoon Presentations 29 Oct. Whole-day excursion: Gull watching along the central Portuguese coast (Aveiro, Vagueira, Praia de Mira, Figueira da Foz + Closure dinnerCONTACT: Rute A. Costa rutealexandra@gmail.com rute.costa@ua.pt

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CESAM photography exhibition

Published in 3/10/2022

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Biodiversity will be celebrated during the months of September and October! In collaboration with the Municipality of Aveiro and Veolia, the photography exhibition “Olhares sobre a Biodiversidade” organized by the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), of the University of Aveiro, will be inaugurated next Saturday, September 3, and will be hosted at the Ecocentro Municipal de Aveiro, until the final of October.  We invite the entire academic community to visit the exhibition and bring their families and friends to discover the fantastic world of Biodiversity. More details: Universidade de Aveiro (ua.pt)

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Waders´s paradise

Published in 31/8/2022

Since 2006, that CESAM researcher, José Alves, spent part of the spring and summer in Iceland to study the black-tailed godwit and other nesting birds. The work developed with this and other wader species allows to understand the environmental changes that the planet is undergoing. You can see the full report, in Portuguese, in the Público newspaper HERE. Video: https://youtu.be/9W6XYrsqMLg  

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3rd EpiLipidNET action meeting, 21 - 23 September, University of Aveiro

Published in 9/9/2022

The 3rd EpiLipidNET COST Action meeting and the Young Researchers and Innovators Workshop will be held at the University of Aveiro, September 21-23.EpiLipidNET Cost Action, coordinated by CESAM researchers, aims to build and maintain a multidisciplinary pan-European network of researchers, clinicians and enterprises working in the field of lipidomics and epilipidomics to boost a hub of research excellence, advanced knowledge and technology transfer, to promote high level of training for young researchers and facilitate clinical translation.The 3rd EpiLipidNET COST Action meeting aims to bring together a multidisciplinary pan-European network of experienced and young researchers working in the area of lipid research. With many new ideas emerging from the EpiLipidNET network, this first face-to-face event will provide the opportunity to exchange knowledge and find interesting collaborations. Deadline for registration: 15 September 2022More details HERE.

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CESAM scientists track cetaceans from the sky

Published in 25/8/2022

The team from the University of Aveiro (CESAM and CPRAM-ECOMARE) carried out the aerial census campaign of cetaceans in the Portuguese continental coast, as part of the international initiative "Small Cetaceans in European Atlantic waters and the North Sea" (SCANS IV). The team has already fully traveled the first replica of the routes throughout the coastal and offshore area. Several species of cetaceans were observed, including the harbor porpoise, common dolphin, bottlenose dolphin, and common whale, among others. The campaign took place throughout the month of July.In Portugal, the initiative is funded by the Environmental Fund (Ministry of Environment and Climate Action) in collaboration with the Portuguese Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF).More details HERE.

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CESAM student wins award for best poster

Published in 9/9/2022

Catarina Malheiro, a PhD student at CESAM & DBio, won the best poster award at the "Smart and Circular Agriculture towards Sustainability" Congress, which took place in Porto on July 21-22, with the title: "Valorization of agricultural wastes as a sustainable approach to improve soil productivity and health: a case study with tomato".The PhD student, supervised by CESAM researchers Susana Loureiro and Rui Morgado, develops research oriented towards innovative and sustainable agricultural practices.

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New CESAM project approved to prevent the spread of forest fires

Published in 29/8/2022

Starting in October and lasting for 18 months, a team of CESAM researchers will be dedicated to the FoRES research project - Development of Forest Resilience to Fires under a Climate Change Scenario. This project aims to reduce the potential for forest fire spread and is funded by the EEA Grants environment programme. More details: Universidade de Aveiro (ua.pt)

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CESAM coordinates the European project A-AAgora

Published in 23/8/2022

As part of Horizont Europe’s Mission “Recover our ocean, seas and waters by 2030”, the University of Aveiro leads the project “A-AAgora - Blueprint for Atlantic-Arctic Agora on cross-sectoral cooperation for restoration of marine and coastal ecosystems and increased climate resilience through transformative innovation”, whose consortium of 30 partners is coordinated by Dr. Ana Lillebø, Vice-Rector of the UAveiro and Principal Researcher of CESAM & DBio.Additional information: Universidade de Aveiro (ua.pt)

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Documentary with CESAM brand: Monday, July 18, at 10:45 pm on RTP 1

Published in 15/7/2022

CESAM has partnered with Play Solutions Audiovisuais to produce a documentary for RTP: “ECOMARE. Research and rescue of marine species”. Leaving a cleaner ocean full of biodiversity for the next generations is the mission of ECOMARE, CESAM and UNIVERSIDADE DE AVEIRO. In its five years of existence, almost 2 thousand animals have been admitted to ECOMARE, half of which have been successfully treated and returned to nature. The Center for Environmental and Sea Studies (CESAM) of the University of Aveiro is the scientific partner of this documentary, in which several researchers from CESAM and the University of Aveiro participate. More information at: https://www.ua.pt/pt/noticias/11/76166  

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CESAM participates on COST ACTION FAIRNESS

Published in 14/7/2022

Bruna R.F. Oliveira, researcher at CESAM and DAO of the University of Aveiro, was nominated national representative in the management committee of the COST Action CA20108 FAIRNESS - FAIR NEtwork of micrometeorological measurements. The FAIRNESS action intends to improve standardization and integration between databases/sets of micrometeorological measurements that are part of research projects or local/regional observational networks established for special purposes (agrometeorology, urban microclimate monitoring). This objetive is line with Bruna's research in the framework of the project ModelEco. During last week, the first summer school of the FAIRNESS took place in Volos, Greece, dedicated to gap filling of measured data. All scientists and researchers interested in this topic can participate in the action, having only to fill in the form in the e-cost platform.

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Documentary with CESAM brand: Monday, July 11, at 10:45 pm on RTP1 (10:30 pm on RTP Internacional)

Published in 11/7/2022

CESAM has partnered with Play Solutions Audiovisuais to produce a documentary for RTP: “Portuguese sardines – a natural richeness”. “Fishing and managing sardine stocks in Portugal are inseparable, and the future of fishing for this species will always depend on the good state of conservation of its populations.” The documentary features the participation of researchers Ricardo Calado (www.cesam.ua.pt/ricardocalado) and Fernando Ricardo (www.cesam.ua.pt/fernandoricardo), both from CESAM.   More information at: https://www.ua.pt/pt/noticias/11/75921

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CESAM offers 15 Research Initiation Fellowships

Published in 7/7/2022

CESAM has an open call until July 13, for 15 (fifteen) Research Initiation Fellowships (BII) in the scope of the special support "Verão com Ciência" awarded to CESAM by FCT. This support aims to stimulate the initiation of scientific activity, contributing to the promotion of scientific and technological culture and to the diffusion and dissemination of scientific and technical knowledge among higher education students. The fellowship will have a duration of 1 month with a mandatory starting date of September 1, 2022. Consult HERE.

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CESAM participation in the MOB LAB Congress

Published in 6/7/2022

The researcher Alexandra Monteiro was invited to participate in MOBLAB CONGRESS - Annual Congress of the Intelligent Mobility, that takes place on the 6th and 7th July, in Museu do Carro Eléctrico, in Porto. The CESAM researcher will participate in the panel that adresses the answer of the maritime transports to the environmental challenges: How can the port industry leverage the development of the blue economy? https://www.mobmagazine.pt/moblab-congress/#oradores

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Cycle of Cinema and Ecology

Published in 1/7/2022

In a joint organization of CESAM and the Núcleo de Estudantes de Biologia (NEB), coordinated by Fernando Morgado of the Department of Biology of the University of Aveiro, the "Cinema and Ecology Cycle - extension of Cine Eco of Seia- International Environmental Film Festival of Serra da Estrela, will take place from 12-15 July 2022, at CESAM, University of Aveiro. The sessions will start at 9.30pm and will take place in the Amphitheater of the Department of Environment and Planning. More info.

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Photo exhibition to celebrate biodiversity

Published in 29/6/2022

The Exhibition Gallery of the Auditório Mestre Hélder Castanheira (Bookstore), at University of Aveiro, hosts the photographs submitted to the photo contest that happened to mark the International Day for Biological Diversity, promoted by the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, at the University of Aveiro. The exhibition, with free entrance, will be open to the public from July 4th to 22nd. The photographs were submitted to the photography contest, aimed at the general public, which ran until May 11, promoted by the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, to mark the International Day for Biological Diversity. The photographs cover the theme of biodiversity, portraying the natural heritage, including terrestrial and marine ecosystems, habitats, species of wild fauna and flora, raising awareness in the community for the preservation of ecosystems and biodiversity, as well as respect for all species. Photo contest to mark the International Day for Biological Diversity There were 80 photos submitted to the contest, 13 to Category A (12 years old and under) and 67 to Category B (12 years old and under 18, and adults). The jury, made up by CESAM members: Amadeu Soares, Isabel Lopes, Nelson Abrantes, Joaquim Pedro Ferreira, and by a member of the Communication and Image Services of the University of Aveiro: Hélder Bernardo, evaluated in blind-tasting and distinguished the following works: Category A 1st prize: Natural Fragility, Paulo Sérgio Pinto 2nd Prize: Black redstart, Berta Correia 3rd prize: White-browed Albatross returns home through the fog, Francesco Ventura Honorable Mentions Puffin, Filipe Martinho Serendipity, Sofia Morgado Will you give me a ride?, Ana Hilário Category B 1st prize: The light leaf, Miguel Monteiro Pimenta 2nd Prize: Flowers at the sunset, Maria Carolina Carvalho Antunes 3rd prize: Hidden from Nature, Maria Beatriz Nobre Ramos da Fonseca   Honorable mentions Ladybug's protective power, Beatriz de Nogueira Carvalho The forest elf shelf, Tomás Domingues Baptista The award ceremony took place on the International Day for Biological Diversity, May 22, at the Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro.

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What lives in the mud? A Safari in the Aveiro Lagoon

Published in 28/6/2022

More than sixty youngsters, from 3 to 10 years old, and students from the Centro Escolar de Vale de Ílhavo, visited the tidal flats - the intertidal zone - of the Aveiro region. The activity, which took place on June 27th, aimed to raise awareness of the natural treasures of this ecosystem and its vulnerability. In particular, the activity, led by a team from CESAM at the University of Aveiro, aimed to awaken children's interest in natural sciences. Read more here.

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Series of science coffees with Teresa Rocha-Santos

Published in 27/6/2022

On June 28th, at 3pm, Teresa Rocha-Santos will be in zoom for another session of the cycle of science coffees, promoted by Fábrica Centro Ciência Viva, dedicated to the theme: plastic pollution from macro to nano. Zoom

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Seminar organized by the ASAEC research group

Published in 27/6/2022

The Analytical Sensors and Applied Eco-Chemistry (ASAEC) research group of CESAM and Chemistry Department of the University of Aveiro organized the Seminar «Free Drugs», «Superbugs», and other Emerging Contaminants in the Environment: Occurrence and Implications. Diana S. Aga is the invited key note speaker and the seminar which will be held on June 29th 2022, 11:00 (Lisbon time), at the University of Aveiro (Anf. 22.3.21).   Who is Diana S. Aga? Diana S. Aga is the Henry Woodburn Professor of Chemistry and the Director of RENEW (Research and Education in eNergy, Environment and Water) Institute at the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York. Aga, PhD, is an internationally recognized environmental and analytical chemist, and a devoted mentor who has encouraged and helped to launch the careers of a new generation of diverse scientists in her field. Aga’s research has had a far-reaching impact on the analysis of emerging contaminants such as antimicrobials and other pharmaceuticals, endocrine-disrupting chemicals and engineered nanomaterials, as well as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and pesticides in a wide range of biological and environmental samples. In the Department of Chemistry, Aga leads a team that has collaborated with colleagues at UB, other universities and industry on projects that focus on detecting known and unknown contaminants, removing them from municipal and agricultural wastewater, developing new technologies to degrade POPs, and understanding the impact of environmental pollutants on humans and wildlife. Her work is local and global, ranging from studies on the bioaccumulation of pollutants in fish and common terns in the Great Lakes region, to research investigating the presence of pharmaceuticals, personal care products, antibiotics and antibiotics resistance genes in waters in the U.S., Asia and Europe. She has been involved with action plans and various activities by the World Health Organization and other international institutions to combat antimicrobial resistance, one of the greatest threats in modern medicine and public health.

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International Day of Women and Girls in Science

Published in 11/2/2022

February 11th is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, this year focus on the following topic: “Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Water Unites Us". CESAM marks this date with a video containing the testimony of female researchers from the various research areas of CESAM. On the UN International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we recall the importance of continuing to promote full and equal access and participation of women and girls in education, training and science and technology, engineering, and mathematics. Science and gender equality are both vital for the achievement of internationally agreed development goals. However, women and girls continue to be excluded from participating fully in science. According to UN, a study conducted in 14 countries found that the probability for female students of graduating with a Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree and Doctor’s degree in science-related field are 18%, 8% and 2% respectively, while the percentages of male students are 37%, 18% and 6%. Women are agents of change! Can we imagine the world without the contribution to the science of Marie Curie or Jane Goodall? To inspire new generations to choose academic and professional paths in science, CESAM made a video with the testimony of female researchers in various areas and professional stages. It can be seen here. It is with pride that CESAM actively contributes to gender equity. Together, caring about the future.

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CESAM at the United Nations Oceans Conference

Published in 27/6/2022

From June 27 to July 1, Lisbon will host the United Nations Ocean Conference. The conference aims to encourage the international community to find solutions for sustainable ocean management, bringing together more than 7000 people, including scientists, politicians, organizations, companies and activists. The declining health of the oceans and the pressing need to reverse this process, including combating water acidification, pollution, illegal fishing, and loss of habitats and biodiversity are on the agenda. The Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies is present at the side event One Sustainable Ocean | Ocean Science & Business2Sea. This free event focuses on the future of the ocean, sustainability, circular economy and innovation, and is aligned with United Nations goal 14 for sustainable development: Life below water. One Sustainable Ocean | Ocean Science & Business2Sea can be visited from 8:30am to 6pm at the Pavilhão de Portugal.

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Mas afinal...? na Rádio Terra Nova com Bruno Nunes

Published in 8/2/2022

Can we throw unused medicines in the trash? Wednesday (9 February), 10:40 am at Manhãs Novas da Rádio TerraNova: centova.radios.pt/proxy/404?mp=/stream

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International Conference on Air Quality and Modelling at University of Aveiro

Published in 23/8/2022

On next September (from the 27th to the 30th), an international conference on air quality and modelling - 21st International Conference on Harmonisation within Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling for Regulatory Purposes (HARMO21), organized by the Research Group Emissions, Modelling and Climate Change (GEMAC), DAO/CESAM, will take place at the University of Aveiro. HARMO21  is aimed towards model developers, model users, environmental protection agencies and legislation experts. This conference is distinguished by its focus on common tools and methodologies. The first announcement has already been released, with the important dates, and it can be found at: http://harmo21.web.ua.pt/ This event, usually attended by over 100 scientists from around the world in this field, aims to provide the ground where model users and decision-makers can bring their requirements to the attention of scientists and search together for better regulatory tools and indicators for the diverse impacts of air quality. The series of Harmonisation conferences started in 1991 (see www.harmo.org) and is a natural forum for discussing modelling issues related to the European Union air quality directives. European networks such as the FAIRMODE network and COST Actions can use the conference in order to expose their work to a wider audience.  

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Training school (TS): The 3 Rs in amphibian ecotoxicology

Published in 4/2/2022

The training school (TS): The 3 Rs in amphibian ecotoxicology will be held in a hybrid format, from 22 to 23 March, 2022, at the University of Aveiro. This event will be organized within the COST action PERIAMAR (CA18221) and the research project Gogofrog (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030718). The TS is open to graduate and post-graduate students (PhD and MSc) and professionals with a background on amphibian ecotoxicology and risk assessment, or related fields, and it is limited to 20 participants. Applications should be sent to Isabel Lopes (ilopes@ua.pt)  and Sérgio Marques- (sergio.marques@ua.pt) , with a motivation letter and a Short CV, by February 23. The TS has no registration fees. PROGRAMME

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Tânia Melo and Felisa Rey are the guest editors of Marine Drugs special issue

Published in 3/2/2022

Tânia Melo and Felisa Rey are the guest editors of Marine Drugs special issue "Lipidomic Studies for the Characterisation of Marine Lipids” Marine Drugs (IF: 5.118) is an international peer-reviewed open access journal, published online by MDPI. Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July   More info.

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World Wetlands Day 2022

Published in 4/2/2022

According to the Ramsar Convention, wetlands are “areas of marsh, fen, peatland, or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish, or salt including areas of marine water, the depth of which at low tide does not exceed 6 meters”. Wetlands play a vital role for people and the planet, helping combat climate change through carbon sequestration and climate regulation, contributing to the supply and improving the quality of brackish and freshwater, and supporting biodiversity. However, wetlands (including coastal wetlands, such as seagrass meadows and salt marshes) are under threat, mainly due to human activities. Land-use changes, pollution, salinization, urbanization, and invasive species, associated with climate change impacts, have contributed to the degradation of these areas, with negative consequences for biodiversity, ecosystem services and human health. This year an appeal is launched to invest financial, human, and political capital to save the world’s wetlands from disappearing and to restore those we have degraded. To mark World Wetlands Day 2022, we highlight the GLOW - The Global Wetlands Project - A global index to improve coastal wetland health, an international project of which CESAM is a partner. GLOW aims to build a new index of coastal wetland health (including seagrass meadows, mangrove forests and saltmarshes), which can be applied at the global scale, and use it to inform protection and restoration. Ria de Aveiro coastal lagoon is one of the six global partner sites of the GLOW project. Learn more about the GLOW project here and here. Video https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108141 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.107694

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Study:Stopover use of an internationally important wetland, the Tagus estuary, by a long-distance migratory shorebird

Published in 1/2/2022

This new study compares the stopover ecology of Dunlins (Calidris alpina) between spring and autumn migrations at a key wetland of the East Atlantic Flyway, the Tagus estuary (Portugal). Dunlins are long distance migratory shorebirds, using the Tagus estuary both as a non-breeding area and as a stopover area during spring and autumn migrations. During spring, ca. 30,000 dunlins use the Tagus estuary as a stopover site for an average period of 7.5 days. Population size and stopover length of autumn migrants is unknown, but numbers recorded in a long-term monitoring program based on monthly high-tide counts suggest that similar populations may be involved in spring and autumn migration periods. In this study, plasma metabolite levels and haematological parameters were combined to compare refuelling rates and physiological state of dunlins within and between migratory periods. Additionally, as a proxy for site quality, food availability and feeding performance of migrants were assessed and compared in spring and autumn. Refuelling rates and haematological profiles of dunlins were overall similar during spring and autumn, suggesting similar migratory strategies and providing no support for the hypothesis that time constrains are greater during spring. Most dunlins stopping over at the Tagus estuary are likely to follow a skipping migratory strategy, flying short-to-medium distance bouts while fuelling at moderate rates along a network of stopover sites. Early-autumn migrants, however, display higher fuel deposition rates and enhanced blood oxygen-carrying capacity, which suggests they may behave as jumpers rather than skippers. This study was carried out by Teresa Catry (CESAM-UL), José Pedro Granadeiro (CESAM-UL), Jorge Sánchez Gutiérrez (University of Extremadura) and Edna Correia (CESAM-UL), as part of the project MigraWebs (FCT, PTDC/BIA-ECO/28205/2017). Journal article: Catry T, Granadeiro JP, Gutiérrez JS, Correia E (2022) Stopover use of a large estuarine wetland by dunlins during spring and autumn migrations: Linking local refuelling conditions to migratory strategies. PLoS ONE 17(1): e0263031. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263031

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Diana Madeira is one of the editors of Frontiers research topic

Published in 28/1/2022

Diana Madeira is co-editing a Frontiers research topic together with Dr Carolina Madeira (NOVA University of Lisbon) and Prof. Piero Calosi (University of Quebec at Rimouski, Canada) entitled: Marine Omics in a Changing Ocean: Modelling Molecular Pathways and Networks to Understand Species Acclimation and Adaptation Abstract submission deadline: 31 March 2022 Manuscript submission deadline: 30 June 2022 More information.

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Advanced Course Experimental Design and Analysis of Multivariate Data

Published in 28/1/2022

Using real data case studies, develop skills to understand the theoretical background of multivariate experimental design and data analysis techniques and the practical use of appropriate software. No prior experience is required in the use of multivariate data analysis methods. Beginner to intermediate level course. The course, which runs from February 28 to March 4, 2022, is free of charge and registration is required by February 18th.  Programme

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BP4BP – Tamarillo breeding: better plants for better products, January 28th

Published in 27/1/2022

Glória Pinto will act as key note speaker in the final workshop of the project: BP4BP – Tamarillo breeding: better plants for better products. This event will take place on January 28th, online. Participation is free but the registration is mandatory. Poster

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Ocean Break | 2 February

Published in 27/1/2022

2 Feb | 03.00pm | ZOOM (ID: 820 3792 0208 | Password: 007533) [More information only available in Portuguese]

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Student from CESAM/UA awarded at the REDIBAL congress

Published in 27/6/2022

Elisabet Rodríguez Cruz, student of the Doctoral Program Marine Science, Technology and Management (Do*Mar) from the University of Aveiro (UA), was awarded at the XIV Reunião Ibérica sobre Microalgas Nocivas e Biotoxinas Marinhas (REDIBAL), held at IPMA-Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere, in Lisbon (Portugal) between June 1st and 3rd, with the best oral communication in the harmful microalgae area. REDIBAL brings together experts from Spain and Portugal to discuss and present new results on the problem of harmful microalgae proliferation and the consequent contamination of living marine resources by biotoxins.

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Individual Call to Scientific Employment Stimulus - 5th Edition - February 18

Published in 4/2/2022

CESAM is accepting applications by researchers holding a PhD who wish to have CESAM as their host institution in the competition Individual Call to Scientific Employment Stimulus - 5th Edition. Researchers who wish to have CESAM as Host Institution (CESAM-UA or CESAM-FCUL) should send the following documentation until February 18 to cesam@ua.pt: - CV; - Brief description of the research activities to be developed, including required resources and framework within CESAM mission and goals. PLEASE NOTE, this application does not replace the online application through FCT’s dedicated online platform (https://myfct.fct.pt).

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Mas afinal...? na Rádio Terra Nova com Oscar Pelayo

Published in 25/1/2022

26 Jan, 10:40, Manhãs Novas at Rádio TerraNova: centova.radios.pt/proxy/404?mp=/stream

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3rd edition of the advanced course in Bioinformatics for Microbiologists, 14-18 February

Published in 20/1/2022

In a collaboration between the Department of Biology/CESAM of the University of Aveiro and the Faculty of Dental Medicine/CIIS of the Portuguese Catholic University, the 3rd edition of the advanced course in Bioinformatics for Microbiologists will be held from February 14th to 18th. Among others, the following topics will be covered: - Phylogenetics (Artur Alves and Sandra Hilário, Dbio & CESAM-UA) - Introduction to R (Cátia Fidalgo, Dbio & CESAM-UA) - Metagenomics (Marta Alves, UCP) - Interactomics (Nuno Rosa, FMD, Universidade Católica Portuguesa) - Genome analysis (Marta Tacão e Micael Gonçalves, Dbio & CESAM-UA) - Metabolomics (Paulo Cardoso, Dbio & CESAM-UA) The course will be held in person at the U. Aveiro with theoretical sessions, "hands on" sessions and case studies. Applications must be made by February 4th, by sending the registration form by email to csoliveira@ua.pt Poster

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The history of dozens of seabird species in highlight on SAPO - interview with José Pedro Granadeiro

Published in 19/1/2022

Get to know the history of dozens of seabird species that live or are passing through Portugal by José Pedro Granadeiro in an interview on SAPO. In this interview, José Pedro Granadeiro tells the history of dozens of seabird species that live or pass through Portugal, addressing climate change and its effects on birds, such as migration, food availability and even divorce among monogamous species. Read the full story at: https://bit.ly/3Fyw8Ta Photo: José Pedro Granadeiro e Pinguins-saltadores-da-rocha (Eudyptes chrysocome) (Falkland Islands)

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International Symposium on Olfaction and Electronic Nose

Published in 13/1/2022

28 May-1 June, Aveiro More info here.

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Ocean Break | 21 January

Published in 20/1/2022

21th January 2022 | 12:30 - 13:30 | https://videoconf-colibri.zoom.us/j/89210750100 Daniela Rodrigues (PhD student, DBio) Ingredients diversification towards more sustainable aq­uafeeds for marine organisms - black soldier fly as a case study Fish and livestock are the main sources of protein in most countries. Livestock production accounts for 70% of all agricultural land use and it is expected to more than duplicate until 2050. The rise in the consumption of animal products will require enormous resources, with animal feed likely being the most challenging. Potential bottlenecks are mainly due to associated costs incurred from the limited availability of natural resources, ongoing climate changes and, the food-feed-fuel competition. In the case of aquaculture, extra effort is being put into the search for ingredients enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) for aquafeeds. Insects can contribute to this demand due to their well-balanced nutritional profile (i.e. protein and fat content) and, low carbon footprint. However, for marine aquafeed, the lack of PUFA can pose a challenge. The capacity of the black soldier fly (BSF) Hermetia illucens to be reared under different substrates, as well as its ability to modulate its biochemical profile by adjusting to its feeding substrate is already well established. Successful attempts have been performed to improve the lipid profile of H. illucens supplying algae or finfish as feeding substrates, thus allowing the encapsulation of PUFA and consequently making possible the inclusion of BSF meal on the formulation of aquafeeds of marine fish and shrimp.

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Sónia Rodrigues, Susana Loureiro and Astrid Avellan are among the guest editors for the special issue of the Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances

Published in 13/1/2022

Sónia Rodrigues, Susana Loureiro and Astrid Avellan are among the guest editors for the special issue of the Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances: Biogeochemical cycles of nano-sized pollutants at the biota interface. Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 September  More info

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Mas afinal...? na Rádio Terra Nova com Miguel Oliveira

Published in 12/1/2022

[Only available in Portuguese]

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UAU – Ciência sem Limites: “Ação Climática”, 5 January, 05h25pm, RTP3

Published in 5/1/2022

Today's episode of UAU- Ciência sem Limites, broadcasted on RTP3, at 05:25pm, is dedicated to Climate Action and includes the participation of CESAM researchers. This episode will also be broadcast at other times and available on RTP Play. Watch the trailer: "CLIMATE ACTION"

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Fátima Jesus is one of the guest editors of Toxics special issue

Published in 3/2/2022

Fátima Jesus is one of the guest editors of Toxics special issue: " "Ecotoxicity of Contaminants in Water and Sediment" Toxics (IF: 4.146) is an international peer-reviewed open access journal on all aspects of the toxicity of chemicals and materials, published quarterly online by MDPI. Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June  More info

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Do*Mar Doctoral Programme s Summer School endorsed by the Ocean Decade

Published in 22/6/2022

The Summer School on oceanographic observation, promoted by the Doctoral Program in Marine Science, Technology and Management (Do*Mar), was endorsed as an activity of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. This activity will take place from July 10 to 19, 2022, at the University of Aveiro. Each year, UNESCO endorses activities and/or actions that fall under the goals of the United Nations Decade of Oceans Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030 (Ocean Decade). The decade offers a unique opportunity for nations to jointly produce science needed to support sustainable ocean development. Through the Global Stakeholder Forum you can submit an Activity idea for official endorsement, making it part of global efforts to create the ocean we want. Decade Activities are standalone initiatives such as events, exhibitions, conferences, training opportunities, publications or products specially-developed for the Ocean Decade. To be officially endorsed, Activities only need to show how they contribute to the Decade Challenges or to specific Programmes, Projects or Contributions. Ideas can be submitted at any time at: https://www.oceandecade.org/sign-up/ Learn more about the Do*Mar Summer School.

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Ulisses Azeiteiro is a co-editor of the book "Amazonia Towards 2050: Addressing Land Use, Local People and Biodiversity Conservation Issues"

Published in 4/1/2022

The Amazon region, which spans across  Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana, an overseas territory of France, plays a key role as  host of the world´s largest pool of biodiversity. But it is also a region characterised by wide spread environmental degradation, partly related to land use and economic activities which endangers this biodiversity, and the well being of localpopulations. There is a pressing need to continously monitor, document and report on experiences which focus on matters related to land use and biodiversity conservation, along with their many ramifications. It is for this reason that the book "The Amazon Region: Addressing Land Use and Biodiversity Conservation Issues" is being prepared. This book intends to bring together a valuable collection of case studies and conceptual approaches that outline the present state of the Amazon region, and describe examples of initiatives, projects, practices as well as innovative thinking and policy-making, which may help towards a better understanding of the many problems the region faces. By means of a combination of scientific information on ecological aspects and papers dealing with socio-economic issues, the book intends to support future policy-making in an area whose problems and local and regional in nature, but whose impacts may influence the world´s environment balance. It will be produced as part of the world´s leading peer-reviewed book series on sustainability: https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.springer.com%2Fseries%2F13384&amp;data=04%7C01%7C%7C143238f77f5844da976c08d8dd62b9df%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637502763407858532%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=JongGXCpLoCPEp8vSkH%2Bk%2BME3NFCezC1kVWEnV3L5Cc%3D&amp;reserved=0. This book fills a gap in the literature on the Amazonia and the many threats it faces, from deforestation and uncontrolled agriculture, to the abuse of the rights of indigenous people.The list of topics the boook includes (but is not limited to) the following themes: * Amazon and land use issues * Biodiversity conservation * Issues related to indigenous people * Ecological threats by fires * Territorial management * Natural resources management * Food security * Poverty and social justice * Sustainable development prospects Expressions of interest to contribute to the book, consisting of a 200 words abstract with all contact data from the authors, should be sent to Andréia Setti at: andreiasetti@gmail.com. The deadline for abstracts is 10th January 2022. Full papers are due by 20th February 2022. Further details will be shared with the selected authors.

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Webinar: Desbloqueadores de conversa para cientistas - Estratégias e suportes de comunicação de ciência com diferentes públicos-alvo, 6 Jan, 21h00

Published in 4/1/2022

[Only available in Portuguese]

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Irina Gorodetskaya speaks about climate change in Polar regions and Iberia as a Lead Author of IPCC AR6 report

Published in 3/1/2022

Irina Gorodetskaya gives a series of interviews in Portugal and a keynote talk at the XIII Conferência Polar Portuguesa as a Lead Author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 6th Assessment Report Working Group 1: “Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis.” The researcher alerts that changes in climate may be much faster than predicted and some changes are even irreversible! "One of the most frightening [points of no return] is the complete loss of the West Antarctic ice sheet." Learn more at: Visão Verde (06/10/2021): “Temos de estar muito preocupados”: Os avisos da ‘nossa’ investigadora climática do IPCC” on Polar regions climate change  Público (28/09/2021): “Como vai ser o clima no futuro? Um novo atlas interactivo mostra-lhe” Sustainability at Meta: “Together for Climate” about the challenges brought on by climate change and how communities and businesses in Spain and Portugal can respond. SIC notícias (06/12/2021): “Investigadores portugueses estudam efeitos das alterações climáticas nos Pólos” Keynote Speaker at XIII Conferência Polar Portuguesa: “Cryosphere and Polar regions in the IPCC 6th Assessment Report and COP26: Key Issues and the Cost of Inaction”

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The best of CESAM 2021: People who jointly care for the future

Published in 31/12/2021

This year we faced significant challenges and changes. Once again, CESAM researchers were tested and proved resilient, defying adversity with innovative projects and receiving well-deserved public recognition. More than 40 researchers were awarded and/or distinguished in academia. Several works were highlighted in the national and international media. In the Call for R&D Projects in All Scientific Domains, of the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), six projects were approved with funding in the order of 1.5 million euros, and CESAM was the research unit and associated laboratory of the University of Aveiro with the most grant awarded. Through the FCT's Individual Call to Scientific Employment Stimulus - 4th Edition, CESAM welcomes 14 more researchers (40% of the total number of all units of the University of Aveiro). CESAM also attracted 37 young researchers in the FCT's Call for Ph.D. Research Grants 2021. More than 700 scientific articles indexed in the Web of Science (WoS) have been published. Authors from other countries collaborate in 60% of these publications, increasing the impact and internationalization of research. In 2021, CESAM renewed the title of Associated Laboratory for 10 years, meaning that FCT continues to recognize us as a research center of excellence! It was an election and an anniversary year. The integrated members of CESAM elected a new scientific coordinator for 2021-2025, Amadeu Soares. On July 15, CESAM celebrated 20 years in a well-attended ceremony with many partners and friends. We launched a commemorative video, the commemorative graphic image, and 3 dialogues, which had the presence and interventions of 4 ministers of the Government of Portugal. Long live CESAM! Caring about the future!

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CESAM researchers warn about global warming severity and its impacts on Público

Published in 28/12/2021

[Only available in Portuguese]

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Merry Christmas and a Successful 2022!

Published in 23/12/2021

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David Carvalho, in an interview to Expresso, talks about global warming

Published in 21/12/2021

[only available in Portuguese]

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Newton Gomes participates in the BioTechPharma Summit

Published in 21/12/2021

Considered the world's largest Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical event, the BioTechPharma Summit took place in Porto, from November 29th to 30th. Newton Gomes, CESAM researcher and co-founder of InnerCore, a spin-off incubated at the University of Aveiro Incubator, acted as key note speaker.

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Christmas cards

Published in 23/12/2021

Download your favorite post card here.  

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2022 Alternet Conference

Published in 16/12/2021

The 2022 Alternet Conference will be held 14-17 June 2022 in Ghent, Belgium. The theme of this conference will be: "Transformative Changes for Biodiversity and Health." Changes in land and sea use, overexploitation, climate change, pollution and invasive alien species mean that nature is rapidly disappearing, posing significant challenges to human and ecosystem health. Nature is as important to our mental and physical well-being as it is to our society’s ability to cope with global change, health threats and disasters. Protecting and restoring biodiversity and functioning ecosystems is therefore essential to building our resilience. The call for transformative change is an absolute necessity to halt and eventually overcome the biodiversity and climate crisis. This is now recognised and integrated into many member states and EU’s biodiversity strategies, as well as at the global level by IPBES and the CBD.  Where and why do the benefits of biodiversity for ecological and human health arise and how can they be achieved? How and where can transformative change enable these benefits, including ensuring justice and equity?  How can human-nature health solutions be developed? How can the adoption of these transformative biodiversity and human health solutions by society and communities be achieved, for example by transforming food systems?  The Alternet 2022 conference aims to address these questions by focusing on what interdisciplinary biodiversity research can contribute to the transformative change agenda in biodiversity and health. It will offer new perspectives on research and policy as well as practice, highlight information needs and develop partnerships to advance our knowledge on biodiversity and health.  Given the breadth and depth of current and impending crises and the links between human health and biodiversity, it is time for a radical transformation of socio-ecological structures towards a vision of sustainability and resilience – one that enhances the well-being of humans and the biosphere as a whole. Mobilising scientific research, interdisciplinarity and co-construction with stakeholders and decision-makers is the way forward. Alternet bridges disciplines and connects science and policy to the challenges of societal sustainability because we believe that the greatest innovation for societal impact can be achieved by science through unusual collaborations in practice. Come and contribute to our conference, present your research results, participate in the exchanges and initiate projects to chart new routes to transformative change. Open Calls Call for Parallel Sessions We invite you to respond to the Call for Sessions for the upcoming 2022 Alternet Conference. Please send the following information concerning your proposed session(s) by email to secretariat@alterneteurope.eu. Name and Institutions of Chairs and Co-Chairs Session title Session abstract Type of session: presentation, workshop, other Intended outputs Duration (2-3 hours) Open: 15 December 2021 Deadline for submissions: 31 January 2022

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Irina Gorodetskaya study is awarded

Published in 21/6/2022

Irina Gorodetskaya co-authored scientific paper, Atmospheric River Signatures in Radiosonde Profiles and Reanalyses at the Dronning Maud Land Coast, East Antarctica, published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences, has received the AAS Esteemed Paper Prize.

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Sessão Pública: Pradarias Marinhas @Ria de Aveiro

Published in 16/12/2021

[Only available in Portuguese]

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North-South Prize 2020 awarded to a network that includes CESAM researchers

Published in 16/12/2021

The work done by the Network of Mediterranean Experts on Climate and Environmental Change (MedECC) was awarded the North-South Prize 2020. Ana Isabel Miranda, Myriam Lopes, Alexandra Monteiro, Sandra Rafael, Sílvia Coelho and Carlos Borrego are part of this Network as national experts. Read more here.

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Ocean Break | 17 December

Published in 14/12/2021

17th December 2021 | 12:30 - 13:30 | Room 9.1.1 (DEMaC) Daniel Escobar Ortega (PhD student, University of A Coruña) A giant polychaete on the NW Iberian Peninsula: taxonomic identity and preliminary data on its reproductive biology The presence of a giant polychaete (3 metres long) has been recently recorded by fishermen in the Ria de Arousa (Galicia, NW Spain). Since polychaetes are highly appreciated as bait for recreational fishing in other regions of the world, representing a marine resource of elevated economic value, this finding may open up a new opportunity for the local bristle worms fisheries. The present study aims to gain some insights into the biology of this largely unknown species, getting information that helps to the sustainability and management of this fishery. First of all, as the taxonomic identity of giant polychaetes have been the object of considerable debate, we used molecular techniques to confirm the identity of the species present in NW Spain. On the other hand, we studied the reproductive cycle of this species. The results of this study will be shown in this presentation.

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Webinar: Development of integrated strategies for the prevention of pitch canker of pine, December 15th

Published in 9/12/2021

Glória Pinto participates in the Final Webinar of the Operational Group Development of integrated strategies for the prevention of pitch canker of pine, which will take place on December 15, via zoom. Programme

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Daniela Figueiredo is the guest editor of Water special issue

Published in 9/12/2021

Daniela Figueiredo is the guest editor of Water special issue “Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms (HCBs) in Freshwaters – an Increasing Global Concern”. Water (IF: 3.103) is an international peer-reviewed open access journal on water science and technology, including the ecology and management of water resources, published online by MDPI. Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June   More info.

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Vera Rodrigues participates in the final conference of the Lectures for Future project

Published in 7/12/2021

The final conference of the Lectures for Future project will take place on December 9, and will be attended by Vera Rodrigues, who will address air quality in urban spaces. Programme and zoom link here. As part of this project, Vera Rodrigues has produced a series of 4 digital sessions on air quality in urban space. The first session explores the impact of green infrastructure on air quality in urban space, the second session presents the modeling approach developed to assess the potential benefits of green infrastructure on air quality; while the third session demonstrates the application of the modeling tools to a case study in the urban area of Porto. The last session demonstrates the contribution of green infrastructure in urban space in the promotion of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more here.

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Café de Ciência with Catarina Eira - O boto na costa portuguesa: um mamífero marinho em declínio

Published in 7/12/2021

18 Nov '21 | 18h00 > 19h00 | Free entrance at Fábrica Centro Ciência Viva de Aveiro More info.

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CESAM/DBIO students awarded at the national meeting of the Sociedade Portuguesa de Ecologia

Published in 6/12/2021

[Only available in Portuguese]

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CESAM researchers are among the most cited scientists worldwide

Published in 2/12/2021

The World's Top 2% Scientists list has compiled two lists, featuring 15 CESAM researchers as the most cited in 2020 and 6 with the greatest impact throughout their career.

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Ocean Break | 2 December

Published in 2/12/2021

2 December | Caroline Ferreira | ZOOM

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Ocean Break | 24 June

Published in 21/6/2022

24th June 2022 | 12:30 - 13:30 | Room 9.1.1 (DEMaC) Felisa Rey (Researcher, DQ) Photosynthetic animals, a source of inspiration for biotechnological applications Marine environments represent a box of surprises, revealing unlikely combinations such as the one observed between photosynthetic animals and alga organelles. Long-term kleptoplasty, the capability to retain functional stolen chloroplasts (kelptoplasts) for several weeks to months, has been shown in a handful of Sacoglossa sea slugs. Macroalgae are not just a food source for these organisms, which sequester functional algal chloroplasts while digest other cellular components. This evolutionary strategy allows these animals to obtain energy through heterotrophic – digestion of the algae - and autotrophic – kleptoplast photosynthesis – pathways. Kleptoplasty must involve communication mechanisms at cellular and molecular level to ultimately allow sea slug cells to engulf and incorporate plastids, instead of digesting them. Understanding the communication pathways will allow to replicate kleptoplasty for biotechnological applications.  

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SPECO launches video about the LTER Ria de Aveiro

Published in 29/11/2021

The Ria de Aveiro is one of four national LTER sites, from the English acronym Long-Term Ecological Research, in which long-term research is carried out. SPECO - Sociedade Portuguesa de Ecologia launches now the LTER videos. We highlight the Ria de Aveiro (https://youtu.be/XKkSa0PNVq4) coordinated by the researcher Ana Lillebø.  

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Study: Albatross divorce rates found to climb during times of warm sea surface temperature

Published in 29/11/2021

Francesco Ventura and José Pedro Granadeiro are among the scientists from two Portuguese universities who discovered a relationship between warming sea water temperature and the prevalence of divorce in a population of albatrosses.  The research, conducted in the Falkland Islands, demonstrated for the first time a direct influence of the environment on the divorce rates of a monogamous species. This finding highlights how environmental conditions, particularly changes linked to global warming, can affect the living world in ways we sometimes can't imagine, with consequences for wildlife populations.   Jounal article: Ventura F, Granadeiro JP, Lukacs PM, Kuepfer A, Catry P. 2021 Environmental variability directly affects the prevalence of divorce in monogamous albatrosses. Proc. R. Soc. B Biol. Sci. 288, 20212112. (doi:10.1098/rspb.2021.2112) On the Media: Altmetric – Environmental variability directly affects the prevalence of divorce in monogamous albatrosses Photo Credit: JP Granadeiro

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Paulo Baganha acted as key note speaker at the Conference to Celebrate 35 years of the Blue Flag Programme

Published in 26/11/2021

[Only available in Portuguese]

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Ecomare: SOS Marine Animals at the IV Presentation Session of the EEA Grants Projects

Published in 26/11/2021

On December 2 nd, at 02h30pm, the Directorate-General for Maritime Policy will organize the IV Presentation Session of Projects funded by EEA Grants 2014-2021, under the Blue Growth Programme in the area of Ocean Literacy. This event, in digital format, aims to present the projects that provide, through campaigns and activities, the society's awareness of the major issues facing the Ocean. Catarina Eira will participate to present the Ecomare: SOS Marine Animals project. Check the Agenda. Free registration, but mandatory.

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Seminários: Introdução aos recursos naturais vegetais

Published in 26/11/2021

[only available in Portuguese]

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Webtalks: Emerging Contaminants in the Environment: Behaviour and Screening Methodologies

Published in 24/11/2021

The webtalk "Emerging Contaminants in the Environment: Behaviour and Screening Methodologies" will take place on December the 6th at 14h. Certificates of attendance will be delivered upon request. This is a free zoom event, with mandatory online registration: https://forms.gle/YxcPCfxsETCtQCft5   Speakers: Joana Prata (UA) Aleksandra Tubi? (University of Novi Sad, Serbia) Damià Barcelò (Catalan Institute for Water Research, Spain & Editor-in-chief of the Science of the Total Environment journal)   Programme.

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CEEC provisional results: 14 contracts were attributed to CESAM researchers

Published in 24/11/2021

The provisional results of the 4th Call to Scientific Employment Stimulus – Individual are already known. 14 contracts were attributed to CESAM researchers: 6 contracts of Junior Researcher, 7 of Assistant Researcher and 1 of Principal Researcher, with a success rate of 11.1%.  More info: https://bit.ly/3cKk6ds

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ECOMARE: SOS Marine Animals: CESAM launches Ocean Literacy Project

Published in 23/11/2021

“ECOMARE: SOS Marine Animals”, a project led by CESAM from the University of Aveiro (UA) on Ocean Literacy, was launched in an inaugural online workshop that took place November 15, 16 and 17.

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José Alves co-organizes the British Ornithologists’ Union Virtual Conference – Developments in monitoring Science

Published in 22/11/2021

DBIO & CESAM member, José Alves, is one of the organizers of the thematic BOU conference “Developments in monitoring Science” which will be held in a dual format: Zoom and Twitter. The event will take place on the 24th & 25th of November with 6 topical sections, each of which with a keynote lecture: core monitoring methods; policy; online and emerging technologies; bioacoustics; demography & citizen science. The organizing team is also composed by researchers from two other research and conservation organizations: the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO). The monitoring of bird populations provides the bedrock for informing conservation priorities and the research and conservation action that arises from these priorities. Whilst traditional field methods underpin the standardized monitoring programmes that have operated in the UK and many other countries, sometimes for decades, rapid recent developments in technology, online communication and statistics are offering many new possibilities that may enable us to improve existing monitoring programmes, and also to extend monitoring efforts to new species, regions and habitats. For more details see the conference website here. 

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CESAM is present in Science and Technology Week 2021

Published in 22/11/2021

From November 22 to 28, the Science and Technology Week 2021 will take place and CESAM will be present with several science communication activities aimed at the general public and students of various educational levels. More information here.

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Ana Sousa participated in the Sea Chat: Blue Carbon Ecosystems and Climate Change

Published in 21/6/2022

On June 8, 2022, Ana Sousa participated in a Sea Chat, at 21:30 in the Ílhavo Maritime Museum, entitled Sea Chat: Blue Carbon Ecosystems and Climate Change.

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Armando Duarte is on the "Global Highly Cited Researchers" list compiled annually by Clarivate Analytics

Published in 19/11/2021

Researchers from the Department of Chemistry of the University of Aveiro (UA) Jorge Saraiva and Armando Duarte are part of the 2021 edition of the "Highly Cited Researchers" index, prepared by Clarivate Analytics - a North American company specialized in scientific information management - which annually recognizes the most influential scientists worldwide, based on the number of citations of their publications by their peers. Read more here.

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CESAM researchers are part of the InsectERA Agenda, at the forefront of insect production

Published in 19/11/2021

[Only available in Portuguese]

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Celebrations of World Soil Day, December 3

Published in 26/11/2021

December 5, 2021, marks World Soil Day, this year with the campaign "Halt soil salinization, boost soil productivity". This campaign aims to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being by addressing the growing challenges in soil management, fighting soil salinization, increasing soil awareness and encouraging governments, organizations, communities and individuals around the world to commit with the protection and conservation of soil biodiversity and functioning. To mark this date, CESAM is organizing the following two events, which will take place on December 3rd: LIFE Reflorest, FEMME and EPyRIS projects are jointly promoting a webinar, from 09:30am to 12:50pm. Participation is free of charge and registration can be made here. The CESAM's thematic line Ecology &Functional Biodiversity (EFB) is organizing a hybrid workshop, between 2pm and 6pm, in the amphitheatre of the Department of Geosciences, University of Aveiro. The event is free of charge, but registration is required for in-person format until November 30th here. Participation can also be by ZOOM. Programme (morning) Programme (afternoon)

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Rosário Domingues is participating in the COST ACTION SEAWHEAT Project

Published in 18/11/2021

Over the past decade, we have witnessed a growing interest in the development of marine coastal areas as a source of alternative, sustainable food production and other valuable products. We, a group of experts (105 specialists from 28 countries) pursuing these scientific and commercial interests in Europe, Asia, the Americas and beyond, propose to modernise and make more sustainable and healthy our traditional aquatic diet from our coastal seas through the COST program. The European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Association supports an EU-funded program that enables researchers and innovators to set up a collaborative research network across a wide range of scientific disciplines, known as COST. The COST funding organization supports Actions that provide networking opportunities to their participants, allowing them to jointly address scientific, technological and societal challenges through innovative ideas and initiatives. Our network aims to exploit the potential of marine seaweeds in Europe. Building on the successes of previous EU and pan-European projects on seaweeds, and due the unique characteristics of the green seaweed Ulva (known as ‘sea lettuce’), we have identified these algae as the most suitable candidates and model organisms for a novel kind of European mariculture. Species of Ulva have been extensively analysed for their value as food, feed, food ingredients (e.g., protein, carbohydrates, pigments, antioxidants), chemical constituents and medicinal properties. In mariculture, Ulva can be cultured in either land- or sea-based facilities. Ulva can produce more biomass per square meter than land plants (25-40 tonnes dry weight per hectare per year, compared to 2.1, 4.1 and 5.1 tonnes for soybean, wheat and maize respectively). In addition, Ulva provides a fundamental ecosystem service as an ecological biofilter, supporting sustainability of the growing industry of land- and sea-based fish farming, preventing eutrophication in coastal waters The Seawheat COST Action (CA 20106- TOMORROW’S ‘WHEAT OF THE SEA’: ULVA, A MODEL FOR AN INNOVATIVE MARICULTURE) combines interdisciplinary approaches to the sustainable use of marine resources, encompassing all facets of Ulva biology, ecology, aquaculture, engineering, as well as economic and social sciences. This Action will lead to the development of advanced science and technology, create business and employment opportunities in the maritime and coastal economies, and have a significant impact on societal welfare. This COST Action fulfills the current ‘Societal Challenges Priorities’ of the European Horizon 2020 strategy for food security, and its implementation will contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals 14 (UNSDG) for the conservation and sustainable exploitation of natural resources. Rosário Domingues, from Marine Biotechnology and Aquaculture (MBA) Research group of CESAM, and Department of Chemistry University of Aveiro is   participating in the project. The project is interesting both from the point of view of innovation as well as sustainability, and aims to improve food security in the EU. 

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Ethnobiology and Conservation: A case study on cockles published in the journal Marine Policy

Published in 17/11/2021

[only available in Portuguese] Photo Credit: Luísa Magalhães

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1º Ciclo de Conferências online "Invasoras às quartas"

Published in 17/11/2021

[only available in Portuguese]

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Mas afinal...? na Rádio Terra Nova com Joana Ivónia

Published in 17/11/2021

[only available in Portuguese]

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Café de Ciência with Ricardo Calado: Há mar e mar, o que se perde pode nunca mais voltar

Published in 16/11/2021

In the week in which we celebrate the National Maritime Day, the Café de Ciência, at Fábrica Centro Ciência Viva de Aveiro, invites Ricardo Calado to a conversation about the global effort necessary to promote a more sustainable use of the ocean. 18 Nov '21 | 18h00 > 19h00 | Free entranceat Fábrica Centro Ciência Viva de Aveiro More info here.

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National Maritime Day - National Strategy for the Sea 21-30

Published in 16/11/2021

On November 16, during the morning, an event commemorating the National Day of the Sea will take place at the Department of Physics. It will be a panel of lectures focused on the National Strategy for the Sea, organized by the Núcleo de Estudantes de Ciências do Mar.

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Brief info session on Open Science & UA Repository

Published in 12/11/2021

November 17, 02h30pm - 03h30pm Brief information session on the Open Science policy and how to deposit, step-by-step, in the repository of the UA. This session is a summary of the session promoted by the UA Library, which took place on October 20. Registration

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CESAM-Sciences Photography Exhibition

Published in 21/6/2022

On June 3, at 15h00, the CESAM pole at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon organized an exhibition of the most iconic and amusing photographs of their work as members of CESAM. This event is in the framework of the celebration of CESAM's 20th anniversary and showed representative photographs of the work of CESAM students and researchers.

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1st CHARCLEAN Seminar

Published in 12/11/2021

In order to disseminate the results achieved, the CHARCLEAN project will organize the 1st CHARCLEAN Seminar, under the theme "Charcoal Production in Portugal", on November 24th, at 15h30, at the Department of Environment and Planning of the University of Aveiro. If you have interest in this subject, participate in this event. You can find more information at the project webpage charclean.web.ua.pt. Registration is free but mandatory: fill in the registration form in doity.pt/charclean.  Programme

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Workshop Zoom

Published in 12/11/2021

In this workshop, we will deal with configuration and management of zoom meeting, as well as the best practices for using this platform, either on a informal meeting, or to host a virtual conference meeting. Registration

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Webinar on strandings of marine mammals and sea turtles, December 3rd

Published in 11/11/2021

3 December 2021, 02h30pm-04h00 [only available in Portuguese]

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CESAM welcomes 37 new fellows of the FCT Annual Call for PhD Research Studentships

Published in 11/11/2021

FCT awarded 37 doctoral scholarships to candidates who chose CESAM as the host institution in the last FCT Call for PhD Research Studentships (2021). Congratulations! Welcome to CESAM!   The next call for PhD Research Studentships in all scientific areas will be announced in January 2022.  

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Ocean Break | 16 November, National Maritime Day

Published in 10/11/2021

The next session of the Ocean Break seminar series will be dedicated to the celebration of the National Maritime Day! It will be held in person, on November 16, and will take place at CEPAM-ECOMARE. Exceptionally, we ask people to register as the auditorium has a limited capacity of 50 people: https://forms.gle/BqVDnAJResZqJN7q9

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Infographic: Climate change and aquatic food systems

Published in 10/11/2021

IIED  (International Institute for Environment and Development), in collaboration with CESAM/UA and WorldFish, has prepared an infographic for COP-26 to draw attention to the impact of climate change on the most vulnerable populations in coastal areas.   Infographic

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Susana Galante-Oliveira pointed national delegate to the OSPAR Commission

Published in 8/11/2021

Susana Galante-Oliveira was  appointed by the General Directorate for Natural Resources, Safety and Maritime Services (DGRM) as expert for the 'Working Group on Monitoring, Trends and Effects of Substances in the Marine Environment' - WG MIME - of the OSPAR Commission. Read more here.

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LTER Portugal - Trailer

Published in 16/12/2021

Did you know that Portugal holds a remarkable diversity of ecosystems and that every effort is needed to preserve it? Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) is a world-wide effort to better understand ecosystems and their response to environmental and social drivers over time. There are 4 LTER sites in Portugal. Ria de Aveiro is one of them.   Watch this extraordinary trailer of a set of four videos and learn more about the LTER network: https://youtu.be/sGk01woOmso The video is highlighted on Alternet winter newsletter.

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Ana Cristina Esteves is the guest editor of the journal Fungi special issue

Published in 5/11/2021

Ana Cristina Esteves is the guest editor of the journal Fungi special issue on What Have We Learned From Omics? Fungi (IF: 5.816) is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal of mycology published monthly online by MDPI.   Deadline submission: 30 April 2022 More info 

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Migradores de longa distância - entre o Tejo e o Ártico wins 3 awards at the international film festival art&tur Best Documentary; 1st Prize in the Environment & Ecology category; 2nd Prize in the International Environment & Ecology category

Published in 4/11/2021

Migradores de longa distância - entre o Tejo e o Ártico was awarded at the fourteenth edition of the International Film and Tourism Festival - Art&TuR which took place this year in Aveiro, between October 26 and 29. Best Documentary up to 90 minutes, 1st Prize in the Environment & Ecology category, 2nd Prize in the Environment & Ecology category. Migradores de longa distância - entre o Tejo e o Ártico had already been awarded an Honorable Mention at the 27th edition of CineEco, the oldest environmental film festival in the world. Also at Art&Tur, the screening of the documentary led to a conversation about the ecology of migrating wading birds, the importance of scientific knowledge, and the impact of the new airport planned for the Montijo airbase.

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Seminar Climate action and zero pollution

Published in 21/6/2022

CESAMs Thematic Line Integrated Environmental Systems is organizing a seminar on the topic "Climate action and zero pollution at CESAM". This event aims to show internally and externally the work that CESAM researchers develop in this area. It will take place on January 12, 2022, between 3.30 and 5.30 pm.

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Research: Microalgae from the Aveiro Lagoon capture as much carbon as that produced by 10,000 people

Published in 4/11/2021

The microalgae of the Aveiro Lagoon capture around 12400 tons of carbon from the atmosphere annually, equivalent to the carbon emitted by 10000 people. This is one of the conclusions of a study by the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) of the University of Aveiro (UA) which makes it clear that: the remaining photosynthetic organisms of the Aveiro Lagoon together will manage to remove thousands of tons of carbon from the atmosphere per year. Read more here and O Público.

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Researchers from CESAM/DBio at the UA co-authored an article featured on the cover of Nanoscale

Published in 2/11/2021

Mónica Amorim and Susana Gomes, researcher at the DBIO/CESAM (UA) has just published an article in the journal Nanoscale, having been highlighted on the cover of the magazine. The work developed in the field of artificial intelligence draws attention to its relevance in the analysis of large databases for the risk assessment of nanomaterials. Full article: https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2021/NR/D1NR03231C

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Mas afinal...? on TerraNova with Alexandra Monteiro

Published in 2/11/2021

Wednesday (November 3rd) at 10:40 am at Rádio TerraNova. This week, Inês Domingues talks to Alexandra Monteiro about air quality and the lessons that the COVID pandemic has taught us. The confinements during the pandemic showed a scenario of abrupt reduction of air pollution, making us believe that an improvement in air quality is indeed possible. What lessons did we learn?

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CESAM is a partner of the INPhINIT Incoming PhD scholarship program funded by "La Caixa".

Published in 15/12/2021

CESAM will offer up to 10 research projects for doctoral students to be carried out in a multidisciplinary and international research team. In total, the program will fund 35 doctoral grants for researchers who want to carry out their doctoral project in research centers of excellence in Spain or in Portuguese research centers, evaluated by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology as "Excellent" or "Exceptional". The INPhINIT "La Caixa" doctoral fellowship program is devoted to attracting talented Early-Stage Researchers—of any nationality—who wish to pursue doctoral studies in Spain or Portugal. For research to be carried out in Portuguese institutions, candidates must have lived in Portugal for less than 12 months in the last 3 years. To learn more about the INPhINIT "la Caixa" PhD fellowship program, visit the program's website HERE. You can find all about the CESAM proposals through the LINK. Doctoral programmes: Biotechnology Marine Science, Technology and Management Environmental Sciences and Engineering (taught in English) Geosciences Chemistry Deadline: 27 Jan

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V Analytical Chemistry Symposium – advanced materials for environmental applications, 24 November

Published in 5/11/2021

Poster 24 Nov Registration required by e-mail to analytical.symposium@gmail.com, until November 22nd - free admission; Zoom link will be sent after registration; Symposium official languages: Portuguese and English

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NanoHarmony – 2nd Project Workshop

Published in 2/11/2021

The NanoHarmony project is holding its 2nd Project Workshop to provide an update on the work being undertaken on the various OECD test guidelines and guidance documents and to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to provide input into the project. The open session of the Workshop will be held on 25 November (09.00-17.00 CET) and will provide feedback on the progress of all the test guidelines being updated by the project. Sessions will include test guidelines for physical chemical properties (including dustiness and surface chemistry), health effects (including toxicokinetics) and environmental fate and behaviour (including bioaccumulation potential). Please register for the workshop here. The day before the workshop on the 24th November, there is an opportunity for stakeholders who are either regulators or industry to participate in interactive sessions being held to get feedback from those specific groups on their involvement in the development and use of test guidelines. The stakeholder sessions are an opportunity for regulators and industry to provide their experience of using test guidelines, to allow them to outline their requirements of future test guidelines and to comment on the whole test guideline development and use process. Regulators and industry stakeholders can apply for a place at one of the stakeholder sessions here.

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Journal article: Different energy consumption vectors during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal

Published in 2/11/2021

Michael Russo is the author of study on different energy consumption vectors during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, entitled “Decarbonizing the energy supply one pandemic at a time” The present study shows that, in Portugal, there was a 15.7% reduction of primary energy consumption (accounting for electricity, natural gas and transport fuels) compared to 2019. The data suggest that actions targeting reduced mobility, such as home office practices and the decentralization of the workforce, could be a relevant energy efficiency measure. Read more here.

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Journal article: effects of pandemic COVID-19 on aquaculture

Published in 2/11/2021

Two researchers from CESAM and the Erasmus+ FISHAQU project are among the authors of the recent article published in Environmental Science and Policy. This article, entitled “The aquaculture supply chain in the time of COVID-19 pandemic: vulnerability, resilience, solutions and priorities at the global scale”, analyzes the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on aquaculture. Mangano, M., Berlino, M., Corbari, L., Milisenda, G., Lucchese, M., Terzo, S., Bosch-Belmar, M., Azaza. M., Babarro, J., Bakiu, R., Broitman, B., Buschmann, A., Christofoletti, R., Dong, Y., Glamuzina, B., Luthman, O., Makridis, P., Nogueira, A., Palomo, M., Dineshram, R., Sanchez-Jerez, P., Sevgili, H., Troell, M., AbouelFadl, K., Azra, M., Britz, P., Carrington, E., Celic, I., Choi, F., Qin, C., Dionísio, M., Dobroslavic, T., Galli, P., Giannetto. D., Grabowski, J., Helmuth, B., Lebata-Ramos, M., Lim, P., Liu, Y., Llorens, S., Mirto, S., Pecarevic, M., Pita, C., Ragg, N., Ravagnan, N., Saidi, D., Schultz, K., Shaltout, M., Tan, S., Thiyagarajan, V., Sara, G. 2022. The aquaculture supply chain in the time of COVID-19 pandemic: vulnerability, resilience, solutions and priorities at the global scale. Environmental Science and Policy 127: 98-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2021.10.014 

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Eduardo Ferreira and Nuno Negrões participated in the event " E se o urso-pardo voltar?”

Published in 2/11/2021

On October 28 and 29, the event " E se o urso-pardo voltar?" took place in Bragança, organized by Palombar and partners, in the scope of the "Natura 2000 Biogeographical Process". Eduardo Ferreira and Nuno Negrões participated in a lecture with a communication entitled "Investigação transfronteiriça sobre o urso-pardo: da genética às dimensões humanas”. Learn more about the event here. 

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One health bookmark on One Health Day, Nov 3rd

Published in 29/10/2021

The Thematic Line Environment and Health of the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), which is a Research Unit of the University of Aveiro (UA) , Portugal, will celebrate the One Health Day with a local event, on 3 November. A bookmark, written in Portuguese, was prepared and will be distributed to the local community in order to raise public awareness to the importance of the One Health Concept. The bookmarker will be distributed in several points of the City of Aveiro, including, the hospital, the health center, secondary schools, commercial center, etc, by researchers from CESAM. One health Day is a day of declaration and action wherever possible to bring global attention to the crucial need and benefits of using trans-disciplinary approaches to complex challenges involving animals, people, and planetary ecosystems

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CESAM researchers publish in prestigious journal Progress in Lipid Research

Published in 17/6/2022

Bruna Neves, Rosário Domingues and Tânia Melo, researchers from CESAM, MBA group, Laboratory of Lipidomics and Mass Spectrometry Group of the DQ-UA, are authors of a review article published in the prestigious journal Progress in Lipid Research (IF: 16.5): “Understanding the nitrolipidome: From chemistry to mass spectrometry and biological significance of modified complex lipids”. This review brings together the literature on the identification and characterization of nitrated lipids using high-resolution mass spectrometry-based lipidomic approaches highlights the biological properties already reported for these endogenous lipids with applications in diagnostics and medicine. The challenges and gaps of this recent field of research are also addressed. Article available: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/progress-in-lipid-research

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The people of the Ria

Published in 29/10/2021

‘The people of the Ria’ video series developed in the scope of the PERICLES project is now complete! It looks at the coastal and maritime cultural heritage of the Ria de Aveiro region through the eyes of the people of the Ria, which shared their experiences, traditional knowledge and associated vocabulary that have been passed down through the generations. 1. The people of the Ria: artisanal fisheries 2. The people of the Ria: the salt harvest 3. The people of the Ria: traditional boats (English subtitles available soon) 4. The people of the Ria: cod-fishing (English subtitles available soon)

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Ocean Break | 3 November

Published in 29/10/2021

3 Nov| 03H00 pm| Zoom Alphonse Nahon, Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil Link: https://videoconf-colibri.zoom.us/j/84673989166?pwd=d3kzS010QWF4VGtVZEdxcnBuWWIrQT09 ID: 846 7398 9166 Password:  511673

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Ana Lillebø acted as key note speaker at the event International Estuary Symposium 2021, South Korea

Published in 28/10/2021

Ana Lillebø acted as key note speaker at the event International Estuary Symposium 2021 under the theme Restoration and Future for the Nakdong River Estuary that took place at the Hilton hotel in Busan, South Korea, from 26th Oct (Tue) ~ 28th Oct (Thu), 2021 Program

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New species of Beaked Whale was identified

Published in 28/10/2021

CESAM researcher Catarina Eira participated in the international study that identified the new species of Ramari´s Beaked Whale (Mesoplodon eueu). Access the full article: Carroll EL et al. 2021 Speciation in the deep: genomics and morphology reveal a new species of beaked whale Mesoplodon eueu. Proc. R. Soc. B 288: 20211213 Watch the video about this new species here.

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Closing event of the European project PERICLES

Published in 27/10/2021

The closing event of the European PERICLES project 'Preserving and sustainably governing cultural heritage and landscapes in European coastal and maritime regions', funded by the European Commission under the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme and led by the Aalborg University, took place on October 22, 2021. Read more here.

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AquaHeal Project highlighted in UA News

Published in 29/10/2021

High fish densities in aquaculture have the risk of rapid spread of disease and development of pathogens. The AquaHeal project, through modulation of the biome with chemical and/or cellular methods, has been applied in the development of solutions that allow the suppression of diseases in intensive aquaculture with recirculation system. In the Biology Department's Bio-Synthesis #11, the AquaHeal coordinator reveals one of the first effective methods ever developed. The project was coordinated by researcher Newton Gomes. Read more here.

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The only hydrothermal vent in the Arctic was investigated by a team that included CESAM researchers

Published in 27/10/2021

Read more here

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Mónica Amorim is one of the editors of the journal Biology special issue

Published in 26/10/2021

Mónica Amorim is one of the editors of the journal Biology special issue on "Invertebrates as Models in Human Pandemics: Facts and Opinion" Biology (IF: 5.079) is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal of biological sciences published monthly online by MDPI.   Deadline submission: 28 Feb 2022 More info 

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Long Distance Migrants: between the Tagus and the Arctic in the Short List of the Art&Tur Festival

Published in 26/10/2021

The documentary "Long Distance Migrators: between the Tagus and the Arctic", which portrays the work of a team of researchers from the CESAM and the DBio of the University of Aveiro, led by José Alves, is on the Short List for the 2021 edition of Art&Tur - International Tourism Film Festival, which will take place from October 26-29, in Aveiro. "Long Distance Migrators: between the Tagus and the Arctic", broadcast by RTP 1 in 2020, and already awarded with an honorable mention at the CineEco Festival, will be screened on October 28. The researchers José Alves and Joaquim Pedro Ferreira will also participate in a round table discussion on “The environmental impact of building an airport”.

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Marie Curie International Training Network (ITN) CHRONIC- CHronic exposure scenarios driving enviRONmental rIsks of Chemicals kicked off on the 12th October 2021

Published in 25/10/2021

The Marie Curie International Training Network (ITN) CHRONIC- CHronic exposure scenarios driving enviRONmental rIsks of Chemicals kicked off on the 12th October! This project is coordinated by Henriette Selck from Roskilde University (Denmark) and aims at delivering a cohort of highly-skilled and informed future research leaders trained in understanding and integrating, into risk-assessment practice, the long-term, low-dose chronic chemical exposure and their interactions with other environmental stressors. At the University of Aveiro, Susana Loureiro is the coordinator of this project where one of the 13 PhD students involved has arrived in the beginning of October. Jacqueline Hilgendorf has a MSc in Science by the University of Koblenz-Landau, and chose the University of Aveiro and the project “Different biotic and abiotic environments change the responses of Lumbriculus variegatus to long-term exposures to chemicals” to get a PhD degree, under the Supervision of Susana Loureiro, Diogo Cardoso (UAVR) and Jesper Givskov Sørensen (Aarhus University). Susana Loureiro is the Manager of Training in CHRONIC and with Amadeu Soares they are part of the Supervisory Board. Have a look at https://chronic-mc.eu/ and learn about the project and the involvement of the 13 PhD students.

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Liliana Santos is one the guest editors for Diversity special issue

Published in 23/9/2022

Liliana Santos is one the guest editors for diversity special issue Holistic Approaches for Reveling in Fungal Diversity. Diversity (IF: 2.465) is an international peer-reviewed open access journal, published online by MDPI. Deadline for manuscript submissions: 17 November 2022 More info.

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Stress Biology Seminars

Published in 22/10/2021

Mycorrhizal fungi biodiversity in Mediterranean semiarid environments, Professor Gisela Dias Espejo, Universidad Miguel Hernandez of Elche, Spain. 27 Oct, 04:30pm, Anfiteatro António Correia (DBio)

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Ana Sousa will participate in the Coastal Wetlands Twitter Conference

Published in 22/10/2021

The CWTC21 conference will be held completely on Twitter, on 26 and 27 October. More info here

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4-4-4 Talks

Published in 19/4/2022

The 4-4-4 Talks is the monthly event dedicated to research conducted at CESAM, which takes place in the auditorium of Building 3 (3.1.15), between 4:00 and 5:30 pm. Programme: 27 October 2021- José Alves: Long distance relationships: connectivity and performance of migratory waders across the East Atlantic Flyway 15 December 2021 – Bruno Nunes: A tale of fish on drugs (Anf. 8.1.43 do DBIO) :: Mandatory registration:: 26 January 2022– Isabel Lopes: Amphibians in ecotoxicology: the need for alternatives to animal experimentation (CANCELED) 23 February 2022 – Miguel Oliveira - Micro (nano)plastics in the environment: a biological and social perspective (Anf. 2.1.10 do DLC) 23 March 2022– Ana Luísa Machado: Potamopyrgus antipodarum: the profile of a global invader (Building 3 -  3.1.15) 27 April 2022– Roberto Martins: Engineered nanomaterials and the marine ecosystem: innovation vs. sustainability (Anf. 8.1.43 do DBIO) 25 May 2022– Olga Ameixa: Taxonomists on the brink of extinction: The Linnean shortfall (Building 3 -  3.1.15) 22 June 2022– Inês Domingues: Ecological restoration (Building 3 -  3.1.15)

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Ocean Break | 22 October

Published in 21/10/2021

Global-scale patterns of biodiversity and trophic structure of the neustonic zooplankton across tropical and subtropical oceanic provinces 22 Oct,12h30-13h30, Zoom

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Sustainability on Terranova radio: 20 Oct,10:40 AM

Published in 19/10/2021

(only available in Portuguese)

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“Migradores de longa distância - entre o Tejo e o Ártico” awarded with an honorable mention on television by the prestigious international environmental film festival in Seia – CineEco

Published in 19/10/2021

“Migradores de longa distância - entre o Tejo e o Ártico”awarded with an honorable mention on television by the prestigious international environmental film festival in Seia – CineEco.

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Marinhas de Aveiro, 18 October on RTP2

Published in 18/10/2021

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World Food Day, 16 October

Published in 15/10/2021

Every day, people are exposed to complex mixtures of chemicals mainly through food. In order to assess human exposure to food contaminants, it is crutial to carry out their biomonitoring, that is, to detect their presence directly in biological samples such as blood, hair, urine or breast milk, or to predict their effects on the human body at an early stage, in order to reduce exposure to chemicals and contribute to improve public health. Coordinated by the German Federal Environment Agency, the HBM4EU (European Human Biomonitoring Initiative) is a European consortium with the participation of 30 countries, the European Environment Agency and the European Commission, financed under the European Horizon 2020 program and in execution from 2017 to 2021 (https://www.hbm4eu.eu/). This initiative aims to use human biomonitoring to assess human exposure to chemical substances, with a view to better understanding the associated health impacts and improving the assessment of chemical risks. One of the chemical substance groups studied under HBM4EU are the mycotoxins, natural compounds produced by fungi and present mainly in food. In this context, two mycotoxins were selected to study: deoxynivalenol (DON), which promotes intestinal disorders and inflammation, and fumonisin B1 (FB1), a possible human carcinogen. The ongoing work program under HBM4EU for mycotoxins is led by Portugal. Author: Paula Alvito

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2nd SIBECOL meeting/XXI AIL Conference - 3-8 July 2022

Published in 16/2/2022

From July 3 to 8, the 2nd SIBECOL meeting/XXI AIL Conference will take place in Aveiro.Important dates: Poster and presentation submission: March 31 Registration: from March 1st More information here.  

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PERICLES at the Bienal Ibérica de Património Cultural

Published in 14/10/2021

PERICLES will be present at the Bienal Ibérica de Património Cultural, from October 14th to 17th, in Leiria, with a digital stand where it will share some of the project's results, namely the video "Gentes da Ria: a safra do sal", the book " Herança cultural costeira na região da Ria de Aveiro", the animation " Já conhece a herança marítima e costeira da região de Aveiro?" and disclose the geoportal Map Your Heritage. More about the festival: www.bienalarpa.pt/ More about PERICLES: www.pericles-heritage.eu/

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Paula Alvito participates in the Ricardo Jorge Seminar:Human exposure to mycotoxins: human biomonitoring and contribution to risk assessment of the European population

Published in 17/6/2022

27 June at 11h30 am Mandatory registration 

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CESAM at FIC.A festival

Published in 14/10/2021

The ocean, small mammals, wild bees, birds and global change are just some of the many topics that are being addressed by several CESAM FCUL researchers at the International Science Festival (FIC.A), from 12 to 17 October, in Oeiras. Programme More information about the festival at: www.fica.pt/

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CESAM at Aveiro Tech Week

Published in 13/10/2021

From October 11 to 17, it will take place in Aveiro, an event that allies technology, art and culture through exhibitions, art installations, performances, conferences, laboratories and other experiences.  The Depuradora of the DEPURD Project (monitoring and decontamination systems for the sustainable exploitation of bivalve mollusks on the Portuguese coast) will be on display at the Mercado Manuel Firmino. More information here

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International Day for Disaster Reduction

Published in 13/10/2021

The International Day for Disaster Reduction was started in 1989 to promote a global culture of risk-awareness and disaster reduction. We recall the special broadcast of TSF, on September 24, on the impact of climate change, with the participation of CESAM researchers João Miguel Dias, David Carvalho and Myriam Lopes and the researchers José Carlos Mota (DCSPT / GOVCOPP) and Sara Moreno Pires (DCSPT / GOVCOPP). Listen here. And also the interview with João Miguel Dias, on TVI News, about the rising waters in the city of Aveiro. Listen and watch here. 

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Study: Noteworthy bird records from Príncipe Island (São Tomé and Príncipe, Gulf of Guinea)

Published in 11/10/2021

In this article, the authors provide a list of ornithological records obtained from 2015 to 2017 on Príncipe Island, comprising 16 passerine and aquatic bird species new or rare to the island. These include five first records for the oceanic islands of the Gulf of Guinea (Senegal Lapwing Vanellus lugubris, Great Snipe Gallinago media, Grey Pratincole Glareola cinerea, Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens and Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe) plus one of a genus requiring confirmation of the species (Isabelline Warbler Iduna cf. opaca), and the first fully supported record of Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus. A further three species are new for Príncipe Island (African Pygmygoose Nettapus auritus, Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola and Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula). This work was published by Edna Correia (CESAM, University of Lisbon), Berta Correia and Ricardo Lima (CE3C, University of Lisbon) in Malimbus http://www.malimbus.org/en/contents/tocm43.html#422 Additionally, the authors published a note in the following issue of the same journal entitled: An addition and correction to “Noteworthy bird records from Príncipe Island (São Tomé and Príncipe, Gulf of Guinea)” adding one species to the previous list, the American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica, as the first confirmed record of this species to the oceanic islands of the Gulf of Guinea. Photo:Great Snipe Gallinago media observed in Santo António city (Príncipe Island, São Tomé and Príncipe). This was the first record of this long distance migratory species for the oceanic islands of the Gulf of Guinea. Credit: Berta Correia

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World Migratory Bird Day, Oct 9th - Studies of migratory birds made by CESAM in the official selection of CineEco 2021

Published in 8/10/2021

The documentary "Migradores de longa distância: entre o Tejo e o Ártico", which portrays the work of a team of researchers from the CESAM and the DBIO/UA, led by José Alves, is part of the official selection of the 2021 edition of CineEco - Serra da Estrela International Environmental Film Festival, to be held in Seia from October 9 to 16. “Migradores de longa distância: entre o Tejo e o Ártico” will be shown on October 14th. Read more here.

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Aquaculture Europe Conference 2021, 4-7 October

Published in 7/10/2021

[only available in Portuguese]

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New programme show about sustainability on Terranova radio

Published in 7/10/2021

Inês Domingues, researcher at CESAM, invites a specialist for an interview/conversation on topics related to sustainability and environmental preservation, trying to answer questions that citizens face in the search for more sustainable lifestyles.  It started this Wednesday, the 6th, at 10:40am, with a special guest, Professor Amadeu Soares, for a conversation about sustainability(ies). TerraNova

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Dia Nacional da Água

Published in 1/10/2021

[only available in Portuguese]

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New CESAM study on photosynthetic sea slugs highlighted in Nature

Published in 1/10/2021

It is a common perception that chloroplasts and photosynthesis are unique to plants and algae. However, some sea slugs are able to incorporate functional chloroplasts from their food algae. By being able to deal with the risks of incorporating chloroplasts, sites of production of reactive oxygen species (https://www.ua.pt/pt/noticias/0/59547), they benefit from the organic compounds resulting from photosynthesis to overcome periods of food shortage (https://www.ua.pt/en/noticias/0/51709). A study published this week in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, led by researchers from the Center for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) and the Department of Biology (DBio) of UA, shows that these sea slugs also use compounds resulting from photosynthesis to boost their reproductive investment (https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2021.1779). Using labelled inorganic carbon and nitrogen, the authors track products of photosynthesis in the reproductive organs of slugs and in polyunsaturated fatty acids with reproductive functions. The study also shows that the fecundity is lower when photosynthesis is inhibited. This work confirms the relevance of this unique association between an animal and a plant organelle for the evolutionary success of these sea slugs and was highlighted in Nature (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02631-2). The work was developed under the KleptoSlug project: Kleptoplasty – The sea slug that got away with stolen chloroplasts, led by researcher Sónia Cruz and funded by the European Research Council (https://www.ua.pt/pt/noticias/16/64194). Photo: Sea slug of the species Elysia timida. The green color is due to the presence of chloroplasts stolen from the alga Acetabularia acetabulum. Credits: Paulo Cartaxana.

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Impact of coastal pollution on atmospheric chemistry and marine ecosystems, 20 October

Published in 1/10/2021

“Impact of coastal pollution on atmospheric chemistry and marine ecosystems”  20 de October, 02:00-04:30pm, online -Zoom. Mandatory registration until 15 October here.  Poster

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Demonstration Session and Workshop Dissemination of Results from the RaMP Project

Published in 17/6/2022

On June 22nd, a demonstration session and a workshop to disseminate the results of the RaMP Project will take place in Praia da Barra and at the University of Aveiro. Programme

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CESAM subscribed the declaration "SCIENTISTS IN SUPPORT FOR AN AMBITIOUS EU NATURE RESTORATION LAW" of SER-E (Society of Ecological Restoration - Europe)

Published in 29/9/2021

This declaration was presented and approved during the 12th European Conference on Ecological Restoration organised by the European Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration,7-10/09/2021. Declaration

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The People of the Ria: the harvest of salt

Published in 29/9/2021

The second video of the series "The People of the Ria", developed under the PERICLES project, is already available! This series looks into the coastal and maritime cultural heritage of the Ria de Aveiro region, addressing the artisanal salt production, the artisanal fishing in the Ria de Aveiro, the eel canning industry, the “arte xávega” (a traditional beach-seine fishery), the traditional boats and the cod fishery. The People of the Ria: the harvest of salt

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Webtalks: Fate and effects of organic contaminants in marine environments | online | 28 outubro

Published in 15/10/2021

This workshop will highlight which are the oceanic hotspots of accumulations of persistent and emerging organic contaminants. What are their sources? Do we understand their fate well enough to predict for their accumulations? Do these contaminations pose environmental risks? Free online event with mandatory registration here. Programme

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Alisa Rudnitskaya is one of the editors of Frontiers research topic

Published in 28/9/2021

Alisa Rudnitskaya is one of the editors of Frontiers research topic: Sensors and Sensor Systems for Detection of Emerging Environmental Contaminants Frontiers is a leading Open Access Publisher and Open Science Platform. Submission deadline: 15 March 2022 More info

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Alisa Rudnitskaya is one of the editors of Chemosensors special issue

Published in 28/9/2021

Alisa Rudnitskaya is one of the editors of Chemosensors special issue: "Chemometrics for Multisensor Systems and Artificial Senses" Chemosensors (IF: 3.398) is an international, scientific, peer-reviewed, open access journal on the science and technology of chemical sensors and related analytical methods and systems, published monthly online by MDPI.  Deadline submission: 1 Mar 2022 More info 

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Ana Hilário in an expedition to the Aurora hot vents

Published in 28/9/2021

Ana Hilário has joined an expedition to the Aurora hydrothermal vents in the Arctic, which will take place from September 28 to October 24.The team is conducting survival training. Watch the video here.Learn more at HACON's website.

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LESSisMORE in fisheries, the landing obligation and 2021 ICES Annual Science Conference

Published in 28/9/2021

CESAM participated in the 2021 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) Annual Science Conference, which took place online on 6-10 September. CESAM´s collaborator, Tereza Pilar Fonseca, participated in Session L – “Linking fisher attitudes, behaviours and beliefs to compliance in fisheries management” with the presentation intitled “The Landing Obligation in Portuguese Small-scale Fisheries. Has change Happened?”. This study was carried out under the project LESSisMORE - "LESS discards and LESS fishing effort for BETTER efficiency on the small-scale fisheries" and characterized fishers knowledge, attitudes and beliefs regarding discards and the implementation and compliance of the landing obligation in the small-scale fisheries in Portugal. Between July 2019 and October 2020, over a hundred interviews with fishers from the Portuguese small-scale fisheries (SSF) sector were carried out. Results show that the landing obligation measure has had up to now a low impact on the Portuguese small-scale fisheries, where a high percentage of fishers were not even aware of this new policy. Fishers believe that adding value to the species that they catch is the main incentive to reduce discards. Tereza Fonseca also participated in the "Network Session: A new era for science-industry collaboration", to discuss how fishery industry initiatives for data collection and data provision can contribute to scientific research.    Tereza Pilar-Fonseca,  Cristina Pita, Priscila M. Silva, Celia M. Teixeira, Daniela Castelo. 2021. The Landing Obligation in Portuguese Small-scale Fisheries. Has change Happened? ICES Annual Science Conference. ICES CM 2021/L:573. Poster. [Includes 2´44 minutes video. Abstract initially submitted in 2020, 2020 ICES ASC did not occur due to covid.]   For more information on the LESSisMORE project see here, here and here   CESAM Researchers: Tereza Fonseca, Cristina Pita* and Daniela Castelo.    MARE Researchers: Priscila M. Silva & Celia M. Teixeira** *CESAM responsible Researcher   **LESSisMORE Project Coordinator  

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Greentour: circular economy and sustainable tourism in destinations of the SUDOE area

Published in 24/9/2021

The GREENTOUR project, funded by the Interreg SUDOE program and started in November 2020, aims to contribute to increase the sustainability and circularity of the tourism sector. The main expected results consist in: - environmental assessment tools for agents from the tourism subsectors of accommodation, restaurants, and leisure and transportation activities; these tools are based on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology and support a sustainable tourism through the identification of strategies to reduce the environmental footprint of this sector; - a voluntary eco-labeling system for tourism destinations as a whole based on LCA; - a cooperation network between destinations and sustainable tourism agents in the SUDOE area. Both the environmental assessment tools and the eco-labeling system will be tested, in a first stage, in touristic destinations of Portugal, Spain, France and Andorra, selected by their relevant natural and cultural heritage (Guimarães, Lloret de Mar, Camino Lebaniego, Rias Baixas, Massif du Sancy and Ordino). At a later stage, after validation of the tools, they will be applied to other stakeholders. The tourism agents of the subsectors of accommodation, restaurants, and leisure and transportation willing to evaluate their environmental performance with the tools developed in GREENTOUR can express their interest in https://greentour-project.eu/join-greentour/be-a-greentour-pioneer. The University of Aveiro is a partner of GREENTOUR, with the participation of the following CESAM members: Ana Cláudia Dias (coordinator) Paula Quinteiro, Isabel Nunes and Helena Nadais. More information about the project can be found at www.greentour-project.eu. Author: Ana Cláudia Dias  

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Researcher José Alves was invited to Client Earth Global Summit (28-30 September) in the session “Maintaining migration in the animal kingdom”

Published in 24/9/2021

This is the second year Client Earth organizes this virtual event, hosting a global forum for experts, peers and partners from across the environmental movement and other sectors to explore new ways of effecting change for a brighter, healthier future planet. Client Earth, a global organization that operates under the banner “Working to protect life on Earth”, supports environmental causes, using the law to defend several issues: defending wildlife and habitats; protecting forests; tackling pollution and climate change, and others. The event is free of change and more information can be attained here.

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World Maritime Day, September 26th

Published in 27/9/2021

In the 16th century, Luís Vaz de Camões wrote two poems that today can be interpreted with new meanings. “All the world is made of change, And forever attaining new qualities.”   After five centuries, it could be interpreted as an allusion to climate change [1] Also, in Canto I, the poet wrote [2]:   “The feats of Arms, and famed heroick Host, from occidental Lusitanian strand, who o'er the waters ne'er by seaman crost, fared beyond the Taprobáne-Iand, forceful in perils and in battle-post, with more than promised force of mortal hand and in the regions of a distant race rear’d a new throne so haught in Pride of Place;”   In the same context of discovery, it can, but this time with new meanings, those of oceanic science, reveal the role that the Sea has always had in our identity. Oceans, once paths of discovery for "remote people" and new worlds, sources of life, and providers of ecosystem services, are currently struggling with serious environmental problems. From Fernão Mendes Pinto, Padre António Vieira, and Bernardo Gomes de Brito's shipwreck accounts, we transmute its tragic aspects to the ecological and environmental dimensions, difficult to approach, but essential to a new paradigm of ocean sustainability. The initiatives under the "Agenda 2030", namely its "Sustainable Development Goals" (SDGs) 14 (and also 13), the "Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development" and the "United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration" demonstrate an international concern in solving the emergency problems we face. Ocean research plays a crucial role in the pursuit of SDG 14 ("Conserve and Sustainably Use the Oceans, Seas and Marine Resources ") as well as the goals and intended outcomes of the "Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development" actions. CESAM has been playing its role in this area, being an institution prepared for the challenges we live. As demonstrators of valences, societal value, and internationalization, I highlight the following projects: "ValorMar - Integral Valorization of Marine Resources: Potential, Technological Innovation, and New Applications Programas Mobilizadores – PI: SONAE SA" and "HACON - Hot vents in an ice-covered ocean: the role of the Arctic as a connectivity pathway between ocean basins FRINATEK call in the FRIPRO programme of the Research Council of Norway." “The Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) is a Research Unit of the University of Aveiro with the status of Associated Laboratory since 2005, evaluated with the highest grade of Excellent since 2014. The mission of CESAM is to develop leading international research on environmental and marine sciences.” The Sea is very present in its founding, constitutive, and functional matrix. Next year, 2022, will be the "International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture." CESAM develops projects in these areas. As demonstrators of CESAM's mission within the framework of societal needs and sustainable development, I highlight the following projects: AquaMMIn - Development and validation of a modular integrated multitrophic aquaculture system for marine and brackish water species Mar2020", "NutriMo - Development and implementation of community-based aquaculture projects in developing countries in Africa FCT - AKDN" and "FISHAQU - Knowledge Exchange in sustainable Fisheries management and Aquaculture in the Mediterranean region Erasmus+ Programme." The Sea is part of our culture and identity. May we, through science, give continuity to a history that links us to the Sea. Ulisses M Azeiteiro CESAM Coordinator of the Thematic Line "Marine Ecosystems & Resources (MER)" [1] Dias, João. (2016). “Todo o mundo é composto de mudança”. Considerações sobre o clima e a sua história. I - O Sistema Climático Terrestre. [2] Os Lusíadas - Luís Vaz de Camões – 1572 - (trad. Richard Francis Burton, 1880, Retrieved from: https://burtoniana.org/books/1880-Os%20lusiadas/Os%20lusiadas%20Vol%201.pdf)  

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Webinar: Tunning tetrapyrrolic macrocycles for multiple applications and Tetrapyrrolic macrocycles as therapeutic agents in antimicrobial photodynamic therapy

Published in 20/6/2022

On June 21 and 22, two webinars will take place dedicated to the use of tetrapyrrolic macrocycles in antimicrobial photodynamic therapy and the functionalization of tetrapyrrolic macrocycles for diverse applications. These webinars are part of projectPOCI-01-0145-FEDER-031523. Participation is free of charge, but registration is required until June 21.  Tunning tetrapyrrolic macrocycles for multiple applications 22 June 2022 - Tetrapyrrolic macrocycles as therapeutic agents in antimicrobial photodynamic therapy 

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Impact of the climate emergency in Aveiro in debate on TSF

Published in 24/9/2021

On September 24th, between 8am and 10am, TSF will be live from Aveiro, to discuss the climate emergency and its impact on the region. David Carvalho and João Miguel Dias, both from the DFis/CESAM, will be present on the broadcast, accompanied by José Carlos Mota (DCSPT/GOVCOPP) and Myriam Lopes (DAO/CESAM) and Sara Moreno Pires (DCSPT/GOVCOPP). Link 

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European Car Free Day

Published in 23/9/2021

To mark the European Car Free Day we highlight the opinion article by Alexandra Monteiro and the radio show Ambiente num Minuto on Terra Nova.    

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3º Curso de Dragagens - Sustentabilidade do litoral

Published in 21/9/2021

[only available in Portuguese]

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Stress Biology Seminars

Published in 20/9/2021

Phage therapy to control pathogenic bacteria Carla Pereira 22 Sep | 04:30h | Zoom

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2nd EpiLipidNET COST Action meeting on 23 -24 September 2021

Published in 17/9/2021

EpiLipidNET COST Action (CA19105)  is a pan-European network of researchers, clinicians and enterprises working in the field of lipidomics and epilipidomics to boost a hub of research excellence, advanced knowledge and technology transfer, to promote high level of training for young researches. Free online  zoom 23th September 2021 13:00-18:00(CET) ZOOM https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88179148278?pwd=SDhSbGc0Ky9ReXJrQzZPVmM0Y21pdz09 Meeting ID: 881 7914 8278 Passcode: 298363   24th September 2021 10:00-18:00(CET) ZOOM https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83527451864?pwd=aWh4Y3RaU1pTVGJudW1xVndoSVJSdz09 Meeting ID: 835 2745 1864 Passcode: 189733 PROGRAMME

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Ocean Break | 24 September

Published in 17/9/2021

24th September 2021 | 12:30 - 13:30 | Room 9.1.1 (DEMaC) Luísa Marques (PhD student) Potential of ascidians as extractive species and their distribution in the coastal lagoon Ria de Aveiro The world population is growing very fast and the requirement for seafood originated from aquaculture is at high demand. In integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) can help aid these issues to better serve populations and also generate extra profit for farmers. IMTA systems use extractive species that reuse the wastes of other species and in addition, it is the way for the sustainability of the aquaculture industry. Ascidians are filter-feeders which once were considered a pest negatively affecting aquaculture facilities. However, these are now recognized as potential co-cultured/extractive species for IMTA with potential added value as bioresources. Knowledge of which species of ascidians are present in the Ria de Aveiro is inexistent and therefore this information will provide progress associated with IMTA systems present in this coastal lagoon. Further research on the potential use of ascidians in IMTA systems should be a new focus. 

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International Microorganism Day

Published in 17/9/2021

The 17th of September is the International Microorganism Day. Celebrated for the first time in Portugal, in 2017, as an initiative of the Portuguese Society of Microbiology, Ordem dos Biólogos, Agência Ciência Viva and UNESCO, this day is currently celebrated all over the world. Its purpose is to reveal the fascinating world of microorganisms, showing their relevance to the living world and their enormous importance for the human species, contributing also to improve literacy in microbiology. It may seem strange to celebrate “microbes”, but this results from the misperception that they are all harmful. The reality is quite different as most microorganisms have positive impacts on our lives. Microorganisms are crucial for the proper functioning of ecosystems and our bodies as well as for other animals and plants. They are also fundamental to the development of a sustainable bioeconomy. At the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) we contribute to better know and understand this invisible majority that inhabits our planet. The studies carried out have contributed, for example, to reveal the vast microbial biodiversity, as well as its biotechnological potential, to understand the role of microorganisms as disease-causing agents in agricultural and forestry plants, to understand the evolution and spread of antibiotic resistance and its role in human health and developing innovative strategies for inactivating microorganisms. Join all those who celebrate the International Microorganism Day and get to know these little big creatures better (https://www.internationalmicroorganismday.org).   Authors: Artur Alves & Isabel Henriques    

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Piratas da Ria visited CESAM

Published in 15/9/2021

[Only available in Portuguese]

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Call for papers - RIESCOS Network

Published in 15/9/2021

The Ibero-American Thematic Network CYTED-RIESCOS, coordinated by Rosa Freitas, proposed a special issue to the journal Environmental Research entitled "Environmental occurrence of plastics and toxicity assessment in organisms”. Submissions are open from 15 September to 15 December 2021 More information here.

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Info session: Intellectual property rights on Marine and Environmental Sciences| 22 Sep | 10 AM |DAO

Published in 14/9/2021

 [description only available in Portuguese] Mandatory registration here until September, 21st

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Mas afinal...? at Rádio Terra Nova with Miguel Azevedo

Published in 13/6/2022

15 June at 10:40 in Manhãs Novas, Rádio TerraNova. Join us at centova.radios.pt/proxy/404?mp=/stream  

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Ecology Day, September 14

Published in 14/9/2021

The Ria de Aveiro is one of the LTsER (Long-Term socio-Ecologic Research) platforms integrated in the national LTER network and in the Portuguese E-Infrastructure for Information and Research on Biodiversity, whose mission is to collect, process and gather high quality data to respond to current societal challenges. Insects deserve a special attention now for being excellent bioindicators of environmental conditions and for their potential application in biotechnology. Some of the most abundant groups found in halophyte vegetation in Ria de Aveiro are flies (Diptera) and planthoppers (Hemiptera).Within the SUSHI project, the biotechnological potential of two species of fly was studied:  a Machaerium maritimae[1], as an ingredient for aquaculture feed due to its abundance and composition of omega-3 fatty acids, and Fucellia maritima[2], registered for Portugal for the first time under this project. Other species were also registered for the first time in Portugal and the respective taxonomic notes are being prepared. Potential non-native invasive species were also identified, as well as halophyte plant pests, reinforcing the importance of these surveys. [1] Duarte, P. M., Maciel, E., Pinho, M., Domingues, M. R., Calado, R., Lillebø, A. I., & Ameixa, O.M.C.C. (2021). Omega-3 on the fly: long-legged fly Machaerium maritimae as a potential source of eicosapentaenoic acid for aquafeeds. Journal of Insects as Food and Feed, 1-12. [2] Lourenço, F., Prado e Castro, C. & Ameixa, O.M.C.C. (2020) First record of Fucellia maritima (Haliday, 1838) (Diptera, Anthomyiidae) populations in Portugal. Norwegian Journal of Entomology, 67:246-248. Author: Ana Lillebø

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Webtalks: Como a ecologia nos pode ajudar?

Published in 13/9/2021

To mark Ecology Day, SIBECOL - Sociedade Ibérica de Ecologia is organising a Webtalk on September 14, between 5 pm and 7 pm. This initiative aims to analyse and discuss the importance of preserving biodiversity and restoring ecosystems to promote the health and sustainability of the planet. This event has the presence of researcher Ana Sousa. Target audience: General audience (interested citizens, technicians, NGOs, researchers) Registration (Free): https://forms.gle/ZdFsE5BAxobMj1gH7 Poster

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Research: Roadkill may accelerate local extinction of mammalian populations

Published in 13/9/2021

More than 120 species of terrestrial mammals are particularly vulnerable to roadkill mortality and several populations could become extinct in 50 years if the observed roadkill rates persist, according to an assessment of roadkill impacts on terrestrial mammals worldwide conducted by a team of international researchers from different continents led by Clara Grilo, researcher at Center for Environmental and Marine studies (CESAM) of the University of Lisbon. These results were published in the prestigious scientific journal Global Ecology and Biogeography. We analyzed the impact that observed roadkill rates had on 71 populations of threatened mammal species and the non-threatened species with the highest observed roadkill rates worldwide. Our results show that populations of the maned wolf and the southern tiger cat in Brazil, the brown hyena in South Africa and the leopard in North India are at risk of local extinction in the near future if observed levels of roadkill persist. We then developed models using species characteristics that allowed us to assess vulnerability to roadkill mortality for 4677 mammal species worldwide and revealed 124 species as particularly vulnerable including the Iberian lynx, brown and black bear, tiger, jaguar, and lion-tailed macaque with known records of collisions with vehicles, said Clara Grilo.   There are ambitious plans to facilitate future global trade particularly in emerging market countries in Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe. These initiatives will facilitate regional and intercontinental trade flow through the construction of more than 25 million kilometers of new roads. This will expand the global road network by 60% compared to 2010 and is in conflict with the global objectives of environmental sustainability, as many of these new roads will cross environmentally sensitive areas where many threatened species occur. “We developed a tool to assess the risk of extinction associated with observed roadkill levels under current road densities, these can be updated as new roadkill estimates for different species in different regions of the world are obtained. Our study also offers a priority ranking of species vulnerability to roadkill, which can inform road infrastructure agencies, NGOs and public administration. These assessments can help identify, combined with species distribution data, current and future roads segments where roadkill monitoring programs are most needed to evaluate risk and trigger the most appropriate measures to avoid local extinctions” concluded Clara Grilo. Contact: Clara Grilo CESAM - Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, C2, 2.3.03 1749-016 Lisboa Portugal Email - clarabentesgrilo@gmail.com   Reference: Grilo C, Borda-de-Água L, Beja P, Goolsby E, Soanes K, le Roux A, Koroleva E, Ferreira FZ, Gagné SA, Wang Y, González-Suaréz M (2021). Conservation threats from roadkill in the global road network. Global Ecology and Biogeography. Brown Bear cub (Ursus arctos) crossing a road in Canada Credits: Jillian Cooper Sub-adult Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) captured by a camera-trap in Serra de Andujar (Spain). Credits: Joaquim Pedro Ferreira Maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) at  Serra da Canastra National Park, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Credits: Marcel Huijser

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Journal article: Alternative test methods for (nano)materials hazards assessment: challenges and recommendations for regulatory preparedness

Published in 9/9/2021

Mónica Amorim and Susana Gomes, researchers at the DBio/CESAM, UA, from the ecology and applied ecotoxicology research group – applEE, coordinated by Prof. Amadeu Soares, are co-authors of a review article published in the prestigious journal Nano Today (IF: 20.7): “Alternative test methods for (nano) material hazards assessment: challenges and recommendations for regulatory preparedness”. Read the full article here.

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Ciência com Impacto - Carob in the fight against tuberculosis

Published in 9/9/2021

Ana Grenha, researcher at CCMAR - Centre of Marine Sciences, tells us about the potential of carob in the fight against tuberculosis. Podcast Vídeo

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Rui Rocha research is highlighted in the print edition of the Greensavers magazine

Published in 9/9/2021

An article (“Aquacultura pode garantir alimentos a preço justo”) about Rui Rocha research was published in the print edition of the Greensavers magazine, number 4, quarterly from August to October. Learn more about the Greensavers here.

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Ocean Break | 8 Setember

Published in 3/9/2021

8 Setember 2021 | 03:00pm-04:00pm Zoom Circulação na Ria de Pontevedra Elisabet Cruz (PhD Student)   Abstract: Estuarine exchange flow plays an important role in the biogeochemical properties exchange between the coastal ocean and the estuaries. Circulation patterns inside the Rias Baixas (NW Iberian Peninsula) have been widely studied, while the Ría de Pontevedra has received less attention. A high-resolution ROMS-AGRIF system configuration with three online two-way nesting domains was used and validated to enhance the knowledge about the circulation patterns of this Ría. Two representative estuarine circulation patterns were studied: a coastal upwelling event and a downwelling event associated with a maximum river runoff of 84 m3/s. An analysis using Empirical Orthogonal Functions (EOF) was applied to the horizontal subtidal velocity fields at the surface layer and at 20 m depth and to the subtidal normal velocity across vertical crosssections.   Upwelling events are characterized by a reinforcement of the positive estuarine circulation, in which the surface waters outflow and deep waters inflow at the main sill of the Ría, whilst full water column inflow (outflow) is observed at the northern (southern) openings. Conversely, downwelling events induce an opposite behavior, consisting of a negative estuarine circulation with the surface (deep) inflow (outflow) at the main sill of the Ría and outflow (inflow) at the northern (southern) openings. Evidences of a front splitting two vertical clockwise circulation cells were found. These cells are associated with the ocean water subduction that enters through the surface layer under downwelling favorable winds and this surface inflow opposes to the direction of the inner estuarine circulation. The EOF study confirms that shelf wind forcing has an important contribution to the variability of the velocity field, inducing positive or negative estuarine like circulation. The temporal principal components (PC) of EOF analysis present correlations of 0.92 between the meridional wind component and the first mode, and 0.77 between the zonal wind component and the second mode.   Third EOF mode represents the circulation during transitional winds when some vorticity structures are visible. The realistic high-resolution simulation of the physical conditions at the Ría de Pontevedra provides new insights into the ocean-estuarine water exchanges and allow the visualization of recirculation processes and characteristic structures that have consequences in the marine ecosystem and in their productivity.

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CESAM project aims to improve Portuguese inventory of atmospheric emissions

Published in 2/9/2021

The project "BigAir – Megadata to improve inventories of atmospheric emissions", coordinated by researchers Diogo Lopes and Myriam Lopes, is one of the most recent projects initiated at the Department of Environment and Planning (DAO) of the University of Aveiro (UA). This project seeks to improve the performance of air quality models in Portugal using megadata (available at no cost) to calculate Portuguese air emissions (historical and predicted) with high spatial resolution (at the exact location of emission sources) and temporal resolution (hourly values). Read more here.

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Webinar “Climate change and air pollution in the new IPCC report”

Published in 6/9/2021

CESAM's research group Atmospheric Processes & Modelling (APM) is organizing the webinar “Climate change and air pollution in the new IPCC report”, to mark the “International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies” – 7 September. The researcher Sophie Szopa, author and coordinator of one of the chapters of this same report will be the invited speaker. Registration is free, but registration is rmandatory. Registration here. It will undoubtedly be an opportunity for us to learn more about these new IPCC data and to ask the questions that concern us the most. It is a webinar open to the scientific community and the general public.

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Research

Published in 31/8/2021

A team led by Victor Bandeira (DBio/CESAM) will carry out a census to assess and manage the impacts of the occurrence of stray dogs and cats, within the scope of the protocol signed between the UA and the Instituto de Conservação da Natureza e das Florestas (ICNF)/Ministério do Meio Ambiente e Ação Climática. Read more here and on the ICNF Website.

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CESAM researchers participate in RTP news report

Published in 7/6/2022

What chemical compounds may have a piece of meat or a fish steak? Researchers from the University of Aveiro (UA) and CESAM participated in a report by RTP - Dose de Contágio -, which aims to understand, with the help of researchers, which chemical compounds are in the food we eat and if the dosages of certain substances, inserted in animal feed, can carry risks for the human health.The report, in portuguese, is available on RTP play. 

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Virtual International Conference on Food Contaminants: challenges on early-life exposure, 27 & 28 Sep | Online

Published in 30/7/2021

The National Institute of Health Doctor Ricardo Jorge, through the Department of Food and Nutrition, promotes on the 27th and 28th of September (in the afternoon), in virtual transmission mode, the 4th edition of the International Conference on Food Contaminants “Virtual International Conference on Food Contaminants: challenges on early-life exposure (ICFC 2021)”. The mail goal of this conference is to gather research scientists, health and food professionals, regulatory entities, industry representatives and students involved in the area of food safety and human health. This conference will focus on the risks associated with exposing vulnerable populations to food contaminants and on toxic effects of early-life exposure to contaminants. Abstract submission deadline is the 5th September and registration (free but mandatory) until the 24th September, at the conference website: https://icfcportugal.com/ Researchers Paula Alvito and Ricardo Assunção are part of the organizing Committee. Poster

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Ciência com impacto - The potential of halophyte plants

Published in 29/7/2021

This week Luísa Custódio, researcher at CCMAR - Centro de Ciências do Mar, talks about the properties of halophyte plants for human health and nutrition. A halophyte is a salt-tolerant plant. One of the best-known halophyte plants is salicornia. Nowadays, salicornia is cultivated and consumed raw or cooked, dehydrated or crushed. In addition to the pleasant sea flavour, salicornia has immuno-stimulating, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and anti-diabetic properties. Podcast Video

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Call for abstracts - AGU Fall Meeting 2021

Published in 28/7/2021

Consider submitting your abstract to the AGU Fall Meeting 2021 session co-convened by the CESAM member Bruna R.F. Oliveira,  A008 - Advances in wildland fire - atmosphere interactions The meeting will take place from 13-17 December. You can attend #AGU21 Fall Meeting online or in-person (full vaccination required) in New Orleans - US! More info here.  

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LIFE No_Waste Project Webinar

Published in 23/7/2021

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The final webinar of the LIFE No_Waste project will take place on 27th July, from 2:30 pm to 5:00 pm.Registration is free but mandatory. Register here.

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Life Lines Documentary - Architecture for Wildlife | 24 july|12h |SIC

Published in 23/7/2021

On the 24th of July, Saturday at 12:00 on SIC. Did you know that every year thousands of animals die on roads and power lines, victims of collision and electrocution? On Saturday, we will get to know the LIFE LINES Project, which seeks to reduce the impact of these threats on biological diversity.

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Ciência com impacto – The chemistry of perfumes

Published in 22/7/2021

What happens when you mix certain fragrances with alcohol? How can we predict the smells that result from each mixture? This week Alírio Rodrigues, researcher at ALICE – Associate Laboratory for Innovation in Chemical Engineering, talks about the chemistry of perfumes. Podcast Video

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The People of the Ria: artisanal fisheries

Published in 21/7/2021

The first video of the series "The People of the Ria", developed under the PERICLES project, is already available! It looks at the coastal and maritime cultural heritage of the Aveiro region, addressing the artisanal fishing in the Ria de Aveiro, the eel canning industry and the “arte xávega” (a traditional beach-seine fishery). The People of the Ria: artisanal fisheries

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Susana Loureiro is one of the members of the Advisory Board of one H2020 project

Published in 20/7/2021

Susana Loureiro is one of the members of the Advisory Board of the H2020 project PAPILLONS- Plastic in Agricultural Production: Impacts, Lifecycles and LONg-term Sustainability (Grant agreement ID: 101000210) that started on the 1st June 2021 (ends 31 May 2025),  and that is coordinated by NORSK INSTITUTT FOR VANNFORSKNING. Link.

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Stress Biology Seminars

Published in 20/7/2021

If we have risks and benefits associated to foods, how can I do the best choice? – Ricardo Assunção July 21, at 4h30pm Watch here

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IBERSENSOR “Introdução aos sensores”

Published in 20/7/2021

The didactic lectures IBERSENSOR, with specialists from Ibero-American countries, aimed at the community interested in sensors. The event takes place from September 8th to 9th, via ZOOM. Registration is free and must be done by the 31st of August 2021 to mverissimo@ua.pt Poster

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5 June - World Environment Day

Published in 2/6/2022

As part of the celebrations of the World Environment Day - June 5, the DAO, with the participation of CESAM researchers, organizes a session to promote the dissemination of sustainability projects of schools in the region. There are 15 schools that on the afternoon of June 6, from 14h00, at the Carlos Borrego Amphitheatre, will present their projects and ideas on sustainability. The best projects will be awarded.

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Commemorative Video - CESAM 20 years

Published in 20/1/2022

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Ciência com Impacto - Valuing and caring for biodiversity

Published in 16/7/2021

Amilcar Teixeira, Researcher at the Mountain Research Center - CIMO, talks about about the importance of valuing natural resources and making them compatible with human activities. Podcast Vídeo

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Ocean Break | 23 July

Published in 16/7/2021

23rd July 2021 | 12:30 - 13:30 | Room 9.1.1 (DEMaC) Zoom Slab Photonic Crystals Grown by Diatoms Johannes Goessling (Researcher)  The usability of nanostructured materials from diatoms as natural photonic materials have been proposed for a variety of technologies, but ad-hoc utilization was yet limited by lack of detailed information on the photonic properties. Recent research confirmed that some diatom parts, the girdle bands, work as slab photonic crystals, with well-defined lattice structure opening bandgaps in the visible and near infra-red spectral range. The presentation will focus on the reproducibility of the structures and how spectral properties can be tuned by modification. The presence of such well-defined and highly preserved photonic material also raises questions related to the potential biological functioning.

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TODAY, JULY 16 | 1:25 PM | SIC NOTÍCIAS - LIFE VOLUNTEER ESCAPES

Published in 16/7/2021

LIFE VOLUNTEER ESCAPES | Voluntários pela Natureza – Premieres on July 16, 2021, on SIC Notícias, at 13:25. The Voluntários pela Natureza (Life volunteer escapes) ran for 12 episodes and will show the work for the conservation of Nature developed by nearly 200 European volunteers who were part of the LIFE VOLUNTEER ESCAPES project. In the first episode, we'll get to know the night life of Serra da Arada and what Nature does in Portugal. The producer PlaySolutions Audiovisuais, partner of CESAM in some television projects, produced this series for Television. Promo  

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Life Reforest project workshop

Published in 13/7/2021

On July 14, a workshop on erosion mitigation and restoration of burnt areas will take place in Sever do Vouga, organized by FORESTIS and the ESP team from the CESAM/University of Aveiro. This workshop is directed to technicians and researchers working on post-fire rehabilitation and aims to present the new technique that has been developed within the scope of the LIFE REFOREST project. Poster

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Luís Menezes Pinheiro re-elected president of IOC Portuguese Committee

Published in 12/7/2021

Portugal was re-elected to the Executive Board of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) on June 21st in Paris, and will be represented during the 2021-2023 biennium by the President of the Portuguese IOC Committee, Luís Menezes Pinheiro, who will start his third mandate in this body. Luís Menezes Pinheiro is a professor and researcher at the CESAM/UA, and was re-elected president of the Portuguese Committee for the IOC. Read more here.

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CESAM/UA-led study highlights effectiveness of plant mats against post-fire erosion

Published in 12/7/2021

An international review study published in June in the high-impact scientific journal 'Earth-Science Reviews', driven by researchers from the CESAM/UA, quantifies the effectiveness of various measures to combat post-fire soil erosion that have been scientifically evaluated around the world. The coordinator of the EPyRIS project at UA, Jan Keizer, highlights the pioneering nature of this comparative study.

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Lipids in the Ocean Conference

Published in 12/7/2021

The 2nd edition of the Lipids in the Ocean Conference was held virtually at University of Aveiro on 5th-7th of July 2021. The Conference has been organized by the Marine Biotechnology & Aquaculture (MBA research group, CESAM & DBio & DQ) & Mass Spectrometry Centre (LAQV-REQUIMTE & DQ) of the University of Aveiro, with the technical support of UNAVE and ClusterMedia Labs. This event has met more than one hundred and fifty of marine lipidomic researchers from world-renowned institutions in 16 countries. Lipid experts have discussed the current state of the art lipidomic approaches, framing breakthroughs and current constraints, as well as highlighted research Challenges & Top Priorities to better understand marine lipids diversity and dynamics. During the three days of the event, six thematic sessions, six plenary sessions, 36 oral communications, 20 poster communications and three workshops have been organized. The conference Lipids in the Ocean gathers a nice community of lipid geeks, which was orphan of a conference to exchange in the depth about marine lipid stuff.

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CESAM celebrates 20 years on July 15th

Published in 14/7/2021

Programme Live streaming on Youtube. The Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, celebrates 20 years of research activity, on the afternoon of July 15th, in an event that will take place in the Renato Araújo auditorium. After an internal preparatory period and the presentation of the creation proposal to the supervisor, the CESAM research unit, then exclusively composed of members of the University of Aveiro, was officially created on July 15th, 2001. In 2004 CESAM was granted the status of Associated Laboratory, a status which was renewed this year for another 10 years. In 2018, through the formalization of a partnership with the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon (FCUL), CESAM is no longer exclusively composed of members from the University of Aveiro, creating a CESAM branch at FCUL. The Associate Laboratory integrates nearly 500 researchers, of which about 250 have Doctorates.  The team of CESAM researchers, from five UA departments (Environment and Spatial Planning, Biology, Physics, Geosciences, Chemistry) and the FCUL departments of Animal Biology and Plant Biology, has competencies in fundamental and applied research in the field of natural and social sciences, covering the areas of the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and anthroposphere, carrying out research "from the source to the deep sea". CESAM is currently participating in 132 national and 50 international projects, including the European ERA Chair and an ERC grant, in addition to numerous collaborations with public institutions and companies, namely NGOs, municipalities and companies. In 2020, CESAM members published more than 600 articles in scientific journals listed in the Web of Science database, including in the prestigious Science and Nature group journals. To celebrate the path of excellence and affirm the commitment to the development of transdisciplinary and international research, aligned with the sustainable development challenges of the United Nations Agenda 2030, CESAM invites the academic community to the celebration of this special day. The event encompasses three dialogues with invaluable presences for the pursuit of CESAM's strategic objectives. Due to the pandemic , the event will adopt a hybrid model, face-to-face and online. The face-to-face event will take place at the Renato Araújo Auditorium and prior registration is required. You can also watch the event on the CESAM channel on Youtube.  

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Ciência com Impacto - Cultura e ciência na marinha portuguesa

Published in 9/7/2021

Admiral Garcia Belo, from the Comissão Cultural de Marinha, talks about the role of the Portuguese Navy in promoting scientific and cultural knowledge. Podcast Vídeo

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BioPradaRia Project promotes awareness and training action at Gafanha da Encarnação

Published in 20/5/2022

The Invasive Species Week 2022: Portugal & Spain runs from May 21-29, and its organization coincides with the commemoration of World Biodiversity Day (May 22) and the 30th anniversary of Natura 2000 Day (May 21). Next Saturday (May 21st), an awareness and training action on "Marine Prairies of the Ria de Aveiro: Threats from the exotic marine worm and the ongoing Ecological Restoration" will take place, promoted by the BioPradaRia Project. The meeting point is at Cais da Bruxa, Gafanha Da Encarnação (40.614870, -8.738276), at 14:30. (Suggestion: bring galoshes)  

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Ocean Break

Published in 5/7/2021

7 July | 15.00 - 16.00 Zoom: https://videoconf-colibri.zoom.us/j/81146619944?pwd=QUJiVWszSUppc2xvcHR1eE5nQ21kZz09   Sandra Fernadez (Post-Doctoral Research Fellow)    

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Aves & Salinas. Guia de boas práticas

Published in 2/7/2021

Aves & Salinas - Guia de boas práticas, authored by SPEA – Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds and by Afonso Rocha, was recently launched. Salt pans are places of refuge, nesting and food for many birds. Beautifully illustrated, this guide introduces the most common birds we can find in the salt pans. Aves & Salinas. Guia de boas práticas

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Oceans are drowning in plastic

Published in 1/7/2021

Paula Sobra, researcher at MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, talks about the impact of microplastics on the aquatic and marine environment. Microplastics are a real threat to life on the planet, they poison the marine animals that feed on them and, consequently, the humans who consume fish and shellfish. Podcast Vídeo

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Ana Sousa participes in a study to measure decomposition and carbon sink in wetlands

Published in 30/6/2021

30 countries and 300 study sites distributed worldwide, among them the Ria de Aveiro coastal lagoon, are included in a study to understand the process of litter decomposition and carbon sequestration in wetlands and unravel crucial information for future climate change mitigation plans. The project involves tea bags. Rooibos tea and green tea.  Read more here.

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Research: Coastal waters of a marine protected area of the Bijagós Archipelago, West Africa, shelter juvenile fishes of economic and ecological importance

Published in 30/6/2021

This study showed that the coastal fish community of the Bijagós Archipelago, Guinea-Bissau is strongly dominated by species belonging to the Clupeidae, Haemulidae and Gerreidae families. In particular, Sardinella maderensis was by far the most numerous species with a relative abundance of over 70% throughout the seasons. This species is considered overfished in the region and classified as Vulnerable (by IUCN) due to recent declines in its populations. The fact that, in the Bijagós Archipelago, Sardinella maderensis is highly abundant and serves as the main link between plankton and marine predators (such as seabirds and predatory fish, as shown in other studies), makes it a key species for the ecosystem. The correct management and conservation of nursery areas for this species should therefore be a priority to ensure a healthy ecosystem. The Bijagós Archipelago, by holding large numbers of immature Sardinella maderensis, certainly contributes to the maintenance of its offshore stocks. Moreover, as the archipelago still suffers less fishing pressure than its neighbouring waters it represents a pivotal area for the conservation of Sardinella maderensis. This study was carried out by researchers of CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon), MARE- ISPA Instituto Universitário, and members of IBAP (Guinea-Bissau - https://ibapgbissau.org/) and CIPA (Guinea-Bissau - https://cipagbissau.org/), as part of the project  ‘‘La recherche participative au service de la conservation de la biodiversité du Parc National Marin de João Vieira-Poilão (Archipel des Bijagós)’’ supported by MAVA Foundation. The paper can be read here. 

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Infographic of a project led by Cristina Pita: The contribution of small-scale artisanal fisheries and aquaculture to food systems

Published in 29/6/2021

IIED has published the first infographic focused on increasing the visibility of small-scale artisanal fisheries and aquaculture and its people in anticipation of the UN International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA 2022). This project is led by Cristina Pita. Learn more: The contribution of small-scale artisanal fisheries and aquaculture to food systems  Impact of COVID-19 on Portuguese fisheries  

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Challenger 150 – A Decade to study deep-sea life

Published in 30/6/2021

Ana Hilário participates in the Ridge Seminar Series: Challenger 150 – A Decade to study deep-sea life, today, June 29, at 4:00 pm. More information and registration here.

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PAMPitUP Project promotes ecological restoration action at Marinha de Santiago da Fonte

Published in 19/5/2022

The action "Salted" Invasive Control - ecological restoration in Marinha de Santiago da Fonte will take place on May 21, 2022, from 9.30 to 11.30. This activity takes place as part of the Week on Invasive Species, a control action, in the Marinha de Santiago da Fonte.Included in the sustainability plan of the PAMPitUp project, funded by the Environmental Fund, this action aims to inform and provide continuity to the action of control and ecological restoration of the area surrounding the Marinha de Santiago da Fonte.

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Myriam Lopes participates in Parcerias para uma Amazónia Sustentável

Published in 19/5/2022

On May 25th the event PARCERIAS PARA UMA AMAZÔNIA SUSTENTÁVEL” will take place at the University of Aveiro. This event has as reference the collaboration established between the Instituto Acariquara - UFAM and IDAD - University of Aveiro on the occasion of the innovative and unprecedented work of evaluation of the social and environmental impact of the Floresta + Amazonia Project, with funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and under the auspices of the United Nations Development Programme - UNDP and the Brazilian Ministry of Environment. It will be an opportunity to evaluate this experience of international cooperation and the results obtained. With this (re)meeting we intend to value the work done in the context of the SDG-17 (Partnerships for the Implementation of the Goals). Our goal is to review the experience of cooperation and others that have been happening with international cooperation, highlighting the importance of participation mechanisms for the local society and especially for traditional peoples and communities in the implementation of public policies, among other relevant topics. Myriam Lopes will participate with the lecture REDD+.

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Alien CSI Bioblitz Ria de Aveiro 20-22 May

Published in 19/5/2022

[Only available in Portuguese]

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Webinar: UN decade of ocean science for sustainable development

Published in 19/5/2021

Amadeu Soares and Luís Pinheiro will participate as speakers in this webinar that will take place on Friday, 21 May. Live on Facebook: I Like This

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CESAM team studies foraging distribution of Royal tern from one of the largest colonies of W Africa

Published in 19/5/2021

Members of the CESAM, University of Lisbon team (Edna Correia e Teresa Catry) were in Guinea-Bissau studying the foraging distribution of Royal Terns (Thalasseus maximus) using GPS devices to track incubation and chick-rearing trips of breeding birds. The results of this study will contribute to apply informed management actions for the conservation of this breeding colony, namely by identifying and proposing marine protected areas. This study is included in the project “Alcyon Programme: Conservation of coastal seabirds and their key sites along the West African coast”, coordinated by BirdLife International in collaboration with local governmental organization IBAP and non-governmental organization ODZH. Photo: Teresa Catry

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Festival Pint of Science, 17-19 May

Published in 18/5/2021

The Pint of Science Festival takes place from 17 to 19 May. CESAM researchers participate in this event. The program is available at pintofscience.pt To watch, visit the Nooks platform at https://t.ly/CNH7

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Dário Hipólito participates in the Ciência, onde andas tu?

Published in 19/5/2022

On May 19th at 7pm, Dário Hipólito, PhD student, participates in the programme Ciência, onde andas tu?, promoted by Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa.Dário will talk about his academic and professional career. To watch here.

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International Fascination of Plants Day, May 18

Published in 18/5/2021

[Only available in Portuguese]

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Amadeu Soares is the new Scientific Coordinator of CESAM

Published in 17/5/2021

Amadeu Soares, Full Professor (DBIO/UA) is the new Scientific Coordinator of CESAM. The team of Vice-Coordinators comprise the following integrated members: Myriam Nunes Lopes, Associate Professor (DAO, UA) Teresa Rocha Santos, Principal Researcher with “habilitation” (DQui, UA) David João da Silva Carvalho, Junior Researcher (DFis, UA) Ana Cristina Esteves, Assistant Researcher (DBio, UA) José Pedro Granadeiro, Assistant Professor with “habilitation” (DBA, FCUL)

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Webinar “Fármacos no Ambiente: fontes, efeitos e mitigação.”

Published in 14/5/2021

Webinar “Fármacos no Ambiente: fontes, efeitos e mitigação.” On May 17th, at 9:00 pm, researcher Bruno Nunes will participate in the Webinar “Fármacos no Ambiente: fontes, efeitos e mitigação.” More information and registration here.

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Birds of two worlds - World Migratory Bird Day, May 8th

Published in 10/5/2021

World Migratory Bird Day, May 8th To mark this day, CESAM researchers share their findings and highlight the need for the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats. [Full text only available in Portuguese]

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Update! Conference "Lipids in the Ocean" in Aveiro, Portugal 05-07 Jul

Published in 7/5/2021

The Marine Biotechnology & Aquaculture (MBA) Research Group from CESAM and the Mass Spectrometry Centre from the University of Aveiro have the great pleasure to bring forward the 2nd edition of the Conference Lipids in the Ocean, that will be held at University of Aveiro from 05-07 of July 2021. The event is organized by Professor Rosário Domingues from CESAM.  NEW DEADLINES! Abstract Submission by  the 15th of May 2021.  Registration by the 15th of June 2021.   + info: http://lipids2021.web.ua.pt/

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ANNOUNCEMENT - CESAM Recruitment for an ERA Chair holder position

Published in 5/5/2021

CESAM is looking for an ERA Chair holder to establish and lead an international highly skilled research team in the area Environmental Economics and Natural Resources, in the scope of the H2020 ERA Chair project "BESIDE - Institutional, Behavioural, critical and adaptive economics towards Sustainable Development, management of natural capital and circular Economy”. BESIDE is a six-year project awarded with 2.5 M €, that aims to reinforce and consolidate research expertise in Environmental Economics and Natural Resources at the University of Aveiro Associated Laboratory CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (evaluated with the highest grade of Excellent since 2014). The mission of CESAM is to develop leading international research on environmental sciences and related risks, including extreme weather events and climate change, with emphasis on coastal systems and marine areas in socio-ecological perspective. The main objective of CESAM is to promote a more efficient use of terrestrial and aquatic (from catchment to the deep sea) environmental resources and a more competitive, resilient and sustainable economy, designed to endorse job creation and assure territorial and social cohesion. The Chair holder will be hired for a five years’ position, renewed annually, equivalent to Coordinator Researcher (the highest position for researchers in Portugal, equivalent to Full Professor) and will have autonomy to establish its own research team (1 Assistant researcher, 4 Junior researchers, 1 high level technician and 3 PhD students).   Application deadline: 1st June 2021 Expected starting date: 1st September 2021 Location: CESAM, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, PORTUGAL The official announcement is available here. Further information about BESIDE project available here. For further information about CESAM, please visit www.cesam.ua.pt.   For information about the content of the position, please contact the ERA Chair coordinator:Ana Isabel LillebøEmail: lillebo@ua.pt Tel: +351 234370779   Additional Information Appointment to the position will be in accordance with the salary agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Directorate General for Administration and Public Employment. It will include 14 salaries (12 months, holidays, and Christmas allowances), Social Security, Labour Accident Insurance, and the right of protection in health ensured by the National Health Service. Please check the following links for more information on salary and taxation: https://www.dgaep.gov.pt/en/index.cfm https://www.aniap.pt/DL/SR_AP_2020.pdf https://info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/pt/docs/Conteudos_1pagina/Pages/portuguese-tax-system.aspx   City of Aveiro Located in the Central Region of Portugal, Aveiro combines perfectly tradition, nature and modernity. The main influence on the city is the Aveiro coastal lagoon system, making it unique. It brings together industry, business, tourism, sports, architectural and natural heritage and a university that knows how to welcome anyone with open arms. Aveiro is a safe and quiet city, benefiting from all of the advantages of a major city, while also being a pleasant place in which to live and work. The Aveiro region is also a good starting point to visit and discover Portugal, as it is a short distance from the major Portuguese cities, in particular the capital Lisbon (about 220 km) and Porto (about 60 km away), where there are English, German, and French International schools. Its central position and the road and rail networks that go through it mean that travelling is easy to different parts of the country and even to Spain. The proximity of the Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport in Porto makes it easy to travel and discover other parts of Europe.

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Assessing the contribution of mangrove carbon and of other basal sources to intertidal flats adjacent to one of the largest West African mangrove forests

Published in 3/5/2021

A team of researchers from the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon /CESAM, in partnership with researchers from the University of Groningen and the Instituto da Biodiversidade e Áreas Protegidas Dr. Alfredo Simão da Silva (IBAP), analyzed the importance of mangroves carbon to intertidal flats in the Bijagós Archipelago, Guinea-Bissau. Read the full article here   Assessing the contribution of mangrove carbon and of other basal sources to intertidal flats adjacent to one of the largest West African mangrove forests Authors: Mohamed Henriquesa,b,*, José Pedro Granadeiroa, Theunis Piersmab,c, Seco Leãod, Samuel Pontese, Teresa Catrya a Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar (CESAM), Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciˆencias da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal; bConservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, the Netherlands; cNIOZ - Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Coastal Systems, the Netherlands; dVillage of Menegue, Island of Canhabaque, Bijagos archipelago, Guinea-Bissau; eInstituto da Biodiversidade e Áreas Protegidas Dr. Alfredo Simão da Silva - IBAP, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2021.105331 Available online 9 April 2021 Projects: Waders of the Bijagós: Securing the ecological integrity of the Bijagós archipelago as a key site for waders along the East Atlantic Flyway (Funded by MAVA Foundation) MigraWebs: Migrants as a seasonal ecological force shaping communities and ecosystem functions in temperate and tropical coastal wetlands (Funded by FCT)   For more information: Mohamed Henriques (mhenriquesbalde@gmail.com)      

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Course on waterbird identification and monitoring, in the heart of Bijagós Archipelago, Guinea-Bissau

Published in 30/4/2021

[only available in Portuguese] Follow up the project updates here. Some pictures:  

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CESAM-UA provides vessel for research and classes

Published in 28/4/2021

The University of Aveiro (UA), through the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), an associated laboratory, owns a vessel for scientific purposes equipped with various oceanographic, geophysical and hydrographic equipment, making it possible to obtain multidisciplinary data as a tool for research and classes. Read more here

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CESAM researchers journal article considered the Best paper 2020 by the International Society for Environmental Information Sciences

Published in 27/4/2021

The article entitled "Tree-Based Methods: Concepts, Uses and Limitations under the Framework of Resource Selection Models", authored by João Carvalho, João Santos, Rita Torres, Frederico Santarém and Carlos Fonseca, and published in the Journal of Environmental Informatics, was recently considered the Best paper 2020 by the International Society for Environmental Information Sciences.  The Editorial Board carefully evaluated those papers according to their originality, contributions to the field, quality of presentation, and soundness of the science. Learn more about this award here and find the full article here.

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Lecture and photo exhibition on the International Day of Biological Diversity

Published in 18/5/2022

As part of the celebrations of the International Day for Biological Diversity, the Center for Environmental and Marine Studies is organizing a lecture and award ceremony for the winners of the photography contest on biodiversity, and a photography exhibition. This event will take place on May 22, at the Carlos Borrego Amphitheater, in the Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro. This year, to mark the International Day of Biological Diversity, the Ecology and Functional Biodiversity (EFB) thematic line, from CESAM, promoted a photography contest, addressed to the general public, which took place until May 11th. This contest aimed to produce photographs that portrayed the natural heritage, including terrestrial and marine ecosystems, habitats, species of wild fauna and flora, to raise awareness in the community for the preservation of ecosystems and biodiversity, as well as respect for all species. There were 80 photos in the contest, 13 for category A (12 and under) and 67 for category B (12 and under, and adults). The photographs cover the theme of biodiversity, with several species of fauna and flora.  The jury awarded three prizes in each of the two categories (over 12 years old and under 12 years old) and also distinguished several photographs with honorable mentions. The award ceremony will take place on May 22nd, at the Department of Environment and Planning, of the University of Aveiro. The exhibition of all the photographs in the contest will be open to the public on Sunday, May 22nd, at the Department of Environment and Planning, of the University of Aveiro. Programme

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Diana Madeira among the guests of the President of the Republic to celebrate the 47th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution

Published in 26/4/2021

Diana Madeira was invited by the President of the Portuguese Republic to celebrate the 47th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution, which took place yesterday in the Gardens of the Palace of Belém. This moment consisted of a dialogue between the President, 4 Captains of April and 14 young people about democracy, the values of April, and the opportunities and challenges that young people are facing today in science and in Portugal. News available here.

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I Symposium One Health Lab - 25 and 26 May

Published in 24/5/2021

[Only available in Portuguese] Live transmission on You Tube: OEI Portugal 

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Amadeu Soares among the most influential climate scientists in the world

Published in 22/4/2021

Full Professor at the UA, researcher at the CESAM and the Department of Biology, biologist Amadeu Soares is one of the most prominent climate scientists in the world. Find more here. 

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Luis Menezes Pinheiro was nominated Focal Point for the National Committee for the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030

Published in 22/4/2021

[only available in Portuguese]

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CESAM members developed a method that use Sentinel-2 satellite images to estimate topography, tidal-stage lags and exposure periods in intertidal areas

Published in 16/4/2021

Despite providing key ecosystem services, intertidal areas are declining worldwide. Their topography determines the inundation and exposure dynamics of the sediments according to the variation in the tides, a parameter that is vital for many living organisms. These digital elevation models (DEMs) are also key tools to monitor the fate of these important areas in face of sea-level rise. In this study members of CESAM develop an automatic algorithm to estimate the intertidal topography from Sentinel-2MultiSpectral Instrument scenes, correcting for the differences in the phase of tides that exist within the extent of the satellite scene. The work was carried out in the Bijagós Archipelago (Guinea-Bissau) a key wetland in the west African coast, classified as a Biosphere Reserve. The work can be read here, and the main results are publicly available here. 

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9th Workshop in Lipidomics – 5th-26th May

Published in 15/4/2021

As in previous years, the Mass Spectrometry Centre at the University of Aveiro promotes the 9th Workshop in Lipidomics, which aims to provide new insight on Mass Spectrometry's potential in studying lipids in several areas. This year, for the first time, the workshop will be divided into three online events that will take place via Zoom on Wednesdays (15:30-18:30, Lisbon time) on the following dates: May 5th: Lipidomics in Health & Disease May 19th: Food Lipidomics May 26th: Algae Lipidomics Registration is free but limited to 300 participants in each of the three days. Registration here. The link to the event will be sent by e-mail to registered participants the day before.

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Luísa Magalhães (CESAM) and Sergio Fernández Boo (CIIMAR) are the guest editors of Pathogens special issue

Published in 15/4/2021

Luísa Magalhães (CESAM) and Sergio Fernández Boo (CIIMAR) are the guest editors of Pathogens special issue "Marine Invertebrates Host-Pathogen Interactions". Pathogens (IF: 3.018) is an international peer-reviewed open access journal published online by MDPI. Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2021  More info.

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Research article: Reproductive ecology and growth of marine catfishes (Ariidae) supporting sustainable fisheries in Banc d’Arguin National Park, Mauritania

Published in 14/4/2021

Marine fish stocks are increasingly being exploited to unsustainable levels. Yet, knowledge of basic biological and ecological traits of species, required to sustain fisheries management at a local scale, remains scarce. The results of this study highlight the slow life-history strategy of the two studied catfish species (rough-head sea catfish Arius latiscutatus and Guinean sea catfish Carlarius parkii), thus emphasizing their vulnerability to fishing activities. Here it is suggested that a short-term fishing closure during the spawning period (May–June) in the Banc d’Arguin National Park, Mauritania may be an important management measure to ensure reproduction opportunities for both species and, therefore, guarantee fishing sustainability. This study was performed by Edna Correia, Camilo Carneiro and António Araújo and can be read here. Image: Camilo Carneiro

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Joaquim Pais-Barbosa (CESAM) and Carlos Daniel Borges Coelho (RISCO) are the guest editors of Water special issue

Published in 14/4/2021

Joaquim Pais-Barbosa (CESAM) and Carlos Daniel Borges Coelho (RISCO) are the guest editors of Water special issue "Research on Water Resources Planning and Management in Coastal Areas" Water (IF: 2.544) is an international peer-reviewed open access journal on water science and technology, including the ecology and management of water resources, published online by MDPI. Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2021  More info.

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Coastal Wetlands Webinar

Published in 12/4/2021

Within the partnership with the Escola Azul program, on April 14, at 4:30 pm, Ana Sousa talks about the importance of the seagrass meadows and salt marshes of the Ria de Aveiro, as well as the restoration and conservation of seagrass meadows (Project BioPradaRia). This online event is aimed at high school students of the Agrupamento de Escolas da Gafanha da Encarnação.

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Fascination of Plants Day - Mas afinal...? at Rádio Terra Nova with Rosa Pinho

Published in 16/5/2022

18 May at 10:40 am at Manhãs Novas da Rádio TerraNova:  centova.radios.pt/proxy/404?mp=/stream

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HidroRia@UA App update is now available!

Published in 12/4/2021

HidroRia @ UA is an application that provides tide forecasts for the Ria de Aveiro, carried out by the Estuarine and Coastal Modeling Division at the University of Aveiro, applying the subroutines in Matlab code inserted in the T_Tide package to numerical forecasts made with state-of-the-art hydrodynamic models and updated field data. This application aims to facilitate the navigation of fishermen, sportsmen, tour operators or any ‘sailor’ of the lagoon, as well as the planning of scientific and professional activities. Using a smartphone, the HidroRia application allows an updated forecast of the tides for the desired periods and for the main recreational ports and fishing docks of the Ria de Aveiro. The new version with renewed graphics and technology turns possible to make tide predictions until the end of 2025, without the need for permanent internet connection. Download the HidroRia App here.

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CESAM/UA in international project to assess impacts of deep-sea mining

Published in 9/4/2021

The University of Aveiro (UA) is involved, through the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) and the Department of Biology, in an international study to monitor the operational tests of a machine to collect polymetallic nodules in deep sea, currently a prototype, in an area of the Pacific outside the exclusive economic zone of any country. The testing of the machine will be carried out by the Belgian company Global Sea Resources (DEME-GSR). Read more here.

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Advanced course How to work with ecotoxicology data – hands on course

Published in 26/4/2021

Advanced course How to work with ecotoxicology data – hands on course 19-23 July Online or Blended More information and registration here

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National Air Day

Published in 9/4/2021

The creation of this National Day, in 2019, confirms the importance of air quality for our health and environment. In fact, air pollution has become a growing concern in the past few years, with an increasing number of acute episodes in many cities worldwide, being classified by the WHO as the biggest environmental risk to health, carrying responsibility for about one in every nine deaths annually. The Atmospheric Processes & Modelling group of CESAM is dedicated to air pollution research, using monitoring and modelling tools to better and comprehensively investigate hotspots origins and best practices for air quality improvement. Some of the on-going projects are good examples of the diverse ways air quality need to be tackled, namely the impact of specific activity sectors like residential heating (SOPRO),  tourism (ARTUR) and shipping (EMERGE), and its impact on human health (INDEX-AIR), or even how green-infrastructures can improve it at urban spaces (UNALAB). To celebrate this day, a seminar will happen on April 12th (16h30) to discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic indirectly affected air quality, with relevant benefits, and what can we learn to continue this air quality improvement. It is an open-access webinar where your experience and questions could be an added-value for the discussion, just a click way: https://videoconf-colibri.zoom.us/j/84877005583. Alexandra Monteiro, DAO&CESAM

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Earthquake Early Warning System will be installed in the Algarve

Published in 7/4/2021

The University of Évora (UÉ) is expanding the national seismic monitoring network with the installation of 4 new stations, thus enabling the development of an Earthquake Early Warning System (EEWS), including those generated in the Atlantic region adjacent to the Portuguese territory. This work is funded by EMSO-PT and forms part of the objectives set out, which is to generate land-based seismic data to support the deep-sea data produced at the Cadiz Observatory. Find more here. CESAM is part of the EMSO-PT consortium. Learn more here.

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World Health Day

Published in 7/4/2021

[only available in Portuguese]

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Cristina Pita interviewed by TSF “Encontros com o Património” program

Published in 6/4/2021

Last March 28th, the program "Encontros com o Património" (Meetings with Heritage) focused on the research projects that the University of Aveiro has been developing in the area of heritage conservation, with goals of sustainable development, responsible tourism and preservation of tangible and intangible heritage. Cristina Pita, coordinator of the PERICLES project (PrEseRvIng and sustainably governing Cultural heritage and Landscapes in European coastal and maritime regionS) at the Center for Environment and Sea Studies (CESAM) and Department of Environment and Planning of the University of Aveiro, was one of the guests. The program "Encontros com o Património" is a weekly broadcast of TSF, carried out in partnership with the Directorate General of Cultural Heritage. The interview can be heard (in Portuguese) on the program's page, available at Encontros com o Património (tsf.pt).

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Henrique Queiroga takes office as Chairman of the Board of the General Meeting of the Order of Biologists

Published in 5/4/2021

Henrique Queiroga, biologist, Associate Professor of the Department of Biology, University of Aveiro and CESAM researcher, took office as Chairman of the Board of the General Meeting of the Order of Biologists. The ceremony of the new National Bodies of the Order of Biologists took place online, on 31st March. Learn more here.

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Camilo Carneiro article inspired the cover of Ecography

Published in 1/4/2021

Camilo Carneiro paper on range wide energetic tradeoffs to breeding performance in Icelandic whimbrels graces the cover of Ecography in April. Find more about the journal article here. Learn more about this study here. Check out the cover here

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Pilot installation to test a new aquaculture system in ECOMARE

Published in 1/4/2021

In an area that is close to that of an Olympic swimming pool, the University of Aveiro (UA), through ECOMARE, set up a pilot installation composed of eight production lines, to study and demonstrate the operation of a new aquaculture system. Called integrated multi-trophic aquaculture, it will operate in a closed circuit, with water recirculation and meeting sustainability, circularity and biosecurity objectives. The AquaMMin project is coordinated by Ricardo Calado. Learn more here.

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Advanced course Global Change in Transitional Environments

Published in 16/5/2022

Mandatory registration: 5 July More info here.

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Let's talk about insects! - Webinar on entomology 2021

Published in 5/5/2021

Webinar series on entomology will be held from April 12 to June 21.  (the programme is only available in Portuguese)

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COVID CESAM COLLOQUIUM, June 16th, 16h00 Lisbon | 12h00 Rio de Janeiro

Published in 12/4/2021

On June 16th, at 4 p.m. (Lisbon time, 12 p.m. in Rio de Janeiro), an online colloquium will be held on the impacts of COVID-19, organized by CESAM. Since 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has been a constant in people´s lives worldwide. This disease has affected, and still affects, humanity, having been responsible for millions of infections and deaths all over the world. Since its outbreak and the identification of SARS-CoV-2, several scientists, from different fields of knowledge, have made efforts not only to contain and mitigate the virus but also to understand its impact in the various areas of human activity. SARS-CoV-2 is not only a virus that causes great damage to health and can lead to death, but also responsible for a radical change in the way we live, we relate to others and the world. From the lessons that the pandemic brought us, 10 CESAM researchers, in a 5-minute pitch, will bring to light the work they have carried out in the frame of the detection of SARS-CoV-2, of the impact of COVID-19 on health, on air quality and climate change, soils, small-scale fisheries, aquaculture, challenges and research on sustainability and also energy consumption. The COVID CESAM COLLOQUIUM aims to create a space for sharing, reflection and discussion on the impacts of COVID-19 and invites you to be part of the debate and the solution so that together we can create a better future: “Build Back Better”. Registration is free but mandatory, open until June 15th here. Communications will be in Portuguese. Titles and abstracts can be consulted in English here.

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Scientists united for respect toward environmental values

Published in 31/3/2021

Forty-three scientists, from different specialties and academic institutions, signed an open letter to the Prime Minister, led by José Alves, researcher at the Department of Biology and at the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) of the University of Aveiro (UA), and also signed by teachers and researchers of the Academy of Aveiro, requesting a broad-based Strategic Environmental Assessment, with a view to the new airport infrastructure. Learn more here.

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Diana Campos is one of the guest editors of Toxics special issue

Published in 26/3/2021

Diana Campos is one of the guest editors of Toxics special issue: " Microplastics in Aquatic Environments: Occurrence, Distribution and Effects". Toxics (IF: 3.271) is an international peer-reviewed open access journal on all aspects of the toxicity of chemicals and materials, published quarterly online by MDPI. Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2021.  Read more

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Adelaide Almeida is the guest editor of Antibiotics special issue

Published in 26/3/2021

Adelaide Almeida is the guest editor of Antibiotics special issue: "10th Anniversary of Antibiotics—Recent Advances in Bacteriophage Therapy". Antibiotics (IF: 3.893) is a peer-reviewed, open access journal on all aspects of antibiotics published monthly online by MDPI. Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2021.  Read more

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Joana Lourenço is one of the guest editors of Processes special issue

Published in 25/3/2021

Joana Lourenço is one of the guest editors of Processes special issue: "Soil and Sustainable Development: Challenges and Solutions" Processes (IF: 2.753) is an international, peer-reviewed and open access journal on processes in chemistry, biology, materials, energy, environment, food, pharmaceutical, manufacturing and allied engineering fields published online by MDPI. Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2021.  Read more

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Joana Ferreira, Sandra Rafael, Susana Cardoso Pereira and David Carvalho are the guest editors of Sustainability special issue

Published in 24/3/2021

Joana Ferreira, Sandra Rafael, Susana Cardoso Pereira and David Carvalho are the guest editors of Sustainability special issue: " Win-Win Strategies for Climate Resilience and Air Pollution Control". Sustainability (IF: 2.576) is an international, cross-disciplinary, peer-reviewed and open access journal providing an advanced forum for studies related to sustainability and sustainable development, published semimonthly online by MDPI. Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 March 2022.  Read more

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Mónica Amorim is one of the coauthors of the article cited by the European Commission

Published in 24/3/2021

Researcher of DBio&CESAM, University of Aveiro, Mónica Amorim, is one of the authors of the article cited by the European Commission, Science for Environment Policy, in the News Alerts section: “Nanopesticides may have the potential to increase food production -  but are they environmentally safe?” Advances in nanotechnology have resulted in increasing research into nanopesticides ­ — particles able to deliver novel formulations with greater efficacy. Researchers identified benefits but emphasized the need to perform a proper risk assessment of these new materials. “It is not just the ingredients of a nanopesticide that require attention, but also the fate and toxic environmental effects of these ingredients when combined in a nanoscale formulation”. Among several gaps, Mónica Amorim highlighted the need to adapt evaluation protocols for nanopesticides, evaluation of long-term effects (longer exposures), and of mechanisms of toxicity to aid predicting effects. For more information see the European Commission News Alert here. And the research article: Grillo, R., Fraceto, L.F., Amorim, M.J.B., Scott-Fordsmand, J.J., Schoonjans, R. and Chaudhry, Q. (2021) Ecotoxicological and regulatory aspects of environmental sustainability of nanopesticides. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 404: 124148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124148

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The LTER Portugal and LTsER Ria de Aveiro have new logos!

Published in 23/3/2021

The main objectives of Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) are to develop comprehensive, global and long-time-scale research considering environmental, societal and economic drivers, to support decision-making based on scientific knowledge about ecosystem services and biodiversity. The strong interdependencies observed between natural and societal aspects in some socio-ecological systems render these sites particularly interesting to study from a Long Term Socio-economic and Ecosystem Research (LTsER) perspective. The LTsER Ria de Aveiro is one of the mentioned socio-ecological systems which involves the scientific community, the population of the region, stakeholders, policy makers and all beneficiaries of the natural capital produced in this Natura 2000 site. The new logo of the LTsER Ria de Aveiro represents organic forms which refer to the estuary with the water/sea elements and the agricultural activities and lagoon. The new LTER Portugal logo represents the main four elements of LTER: (1) society, (2) fauna, (3) flora, and (4) air, water and soil. It is a graphical representation of the 4 LTER sites in Portugal: LTsER Montado, LTER Sabor, LTsER Estuários and LTsER Ria de Aveiro. The logo includes the ecosystems of these 4 LTER sites: rivers, estuaries, forest, plants and animals in a balance among all without highlighting none in particular. Learn more about LTER Portugal and LTsER Ria de Aveiro.

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World Meteorological Day

Published in 23/3/2021

Meteorology is a familiar part of our daily lives, but we usually think of it only in terms of weather forecasts we see every day. However, meteorology is much more than that since it encompasses all physical processes that take part in Earth’s atmosphere. These include our climate, which has putted meteorology under the spotlight in recent decades due to the climate changes that lie ahead of us. Meteorology is, now more than ever, a fundamental science in today’s world to predict, understand and adapt to climate change. CESAM and UA Physics Department have an active research and teaching program focused on meteorology and climatology. Clim@UA, the Meteorology and Climatology group of UA, makes daily weather forecasts since 2007 (https://climetua.fis.ua.pt). One of Clim@UA latest studies showed that Portugal and the Iberian Peninsula are critical areas in terms of vulnerability to climate changes, where temperatures are projected to significantly increase everywhere and in all seasons, in average between 2-4ºC. Towards the end of the century, in summer periods and at the south-central Spanish regions, the warming can reach 6-7ºC. Days with minimum temperatures below zero are also projected to significantly reduce, particularly in mountainous areas meaning much less show activity in these areas. Besides a clear tendency in significant increases of the surface temperatures, this study also showed large increases in the frequency of high temperature episodes (such as heat waves) in the Iberian Peninsula, which can have severe impacts on the population, environment and economy. Author: David Carvalho, CESAM & Physics Department

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Inês Domingues and Isabel Lopes are the guest editors for JoVE

Published in 16/5/2022

Inês Domingues and Isabel Lopes are the guest editors for JoVE Methods Collection titled “Current Methods to Assess Behavioral Changes Induced by Environmental Perturbations". Deadline for abstract submissions: 3 July  More info.

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World Water Day: Transparent, but with so much to discover…

Published in 22/3/2021

Water takes on different meanings and perceptions for different people and organizations. For CESAM it means a global scale challenge and a mission, translated into the development of a transdisciplinary investigation, catalysing social, educational and environmental advances. In perfect alignment with the theme “Valuing water”, some research projects can be referenced as paradigmatic of the diversity of CESAM interventions. The use of water in food production brings a world of opportunities, but also of concerns, with emphasis on the need to reduce the respective water footprint. In this framework, and in line with the principles of circular economy, the European project AQUACOMBINE was implemented aiming the development of integrated aquaponics systems for the co-production of halophyte vegetables, fish, crustaceans, bioactive compounds and bioenergy. To ensure the availability and sustainable management of water, it is essential to monitor the pressures that are exerted on aquatic systems. Identifying agriculture as one of the main sources of diffuse aquatic pollution, the European SPRINT project, through a global health approach, will help to implement innovative transition paths leading to more sustainable agriculture and therefore less impact on aquatic resources. Furthermore, recognizing that wildfires are also a source of diffuse pollution of high expression in our territory, the AQUAFIRE project intends to generate new knowledge on the impacts of post-fire contaminants on aquatic systems and human health. Water resources sustainability also involves the development of alternative and low-cost technologies that are efficient in removing anthropogenic contaminants. Within the REM-AQUA project treatments based on the photodegradation of pharmaceuticals under solar radiation are studied, while in the WasteMAC project magnetic materials are produced from industrial waste, which are capable of capturing them from water. Both projects are solutions for a sustainable future of water resources. On 22 March, 2021, World Water Day will be celebrated. Even though it is transparent, water still has so much to discover and, understanding it not as a commercial product, but as a natural resource that urgently needs to be protected and valued, contributing to its rational and sustainable use is an unavoidable ecocentrism. Authors: Diana Lima, Mário Pacheco e Nelson Abrantes

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Luciana S. Rocha (CESAM) and Cláudia B. Lopes (CICECO) are the guest editors of Toxics special issue

Published in 17/3/2021

Luciana S. Rocha (CESAM) and Cláudia B. Lopes (CICECO) are the guest editors of Toxics special issue " New Advances in Wastewater Treatment Technologies". Toxics (IF: 3.271) is an international peer-reviewed open access journal on all aspects of the toxicity of chemicals and materials, published quarterly online by MDPI. Deadline submission: 20 November More info.

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Interview with Catarina Marques

Published in 17/3/2021

Learn more about the coordinator of the SENSECOR project. This project aims to develop an early screening tool for SARS-CoV-2 detection. Full interview here.

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EU PERICLES Project: Are you familiar with the maritime and coastal heritage of the Aveiro region?

Published in 16/3/2021

The EU PERICLES project developed an animation that looks into the coastal and maritime cultural heritage of the Aveiro region through a journey to the traditions and traditional activities that have shaped, and still do, the identity of the region. This animation also invites you to share your memories and cultural heritage on the PERICLES geoportal: https://mapyourheritage.eu/. Register and upload your memories, stories, pictures, sound and videos. Find the instructions here.

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Two seminars, within the course of Development of Functional Products, organized by FCUL/CESAM, will take place on March 18 and 23

Published in 15/3/2021

The Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa/CESAM has been organizing two seminars within the course of Development of Functional Products. These seminars will take place online on March 18 and 23. March, 18 2021, Thurday, 11h30 – 13h00 Natural substances as potential feed additives - Ana Cristina Gonçalves Monteiro, FeedInov CoLab Online at: https://videoconf-colibri.zoom.us/j/86909536772   March, 23 2021, Tuesday, 12h00 – 14h00 Beyond cannabinoids: exploration of applications for cannabis - André Filipe Lagoa Costa, Mandara Labs Online at: https://videoconf-colibri.zoom.us/j/81152431009 Contact: acsf@fc.ul.pt

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Rosa Freitas is the guest editor of Nanomaterials special issue

Published in 12/3/2021

Rosa Freitas is the guest editor of Nanomaterials special issue “Nanomaterials Towards Environmental Protection: Applications and Threats to Aquatic Systems” Nanomaterials (IF 4.324) is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal published monthly online by MDPI. Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 November  More info.

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Ulisses Azeiteiro is one of the editors of Frontiers research topic: Climate Risks, Resilience and Adaptation in Coastal Systems

Published in 12/3/2021

Frontiers is a leading Open Access Publisher and Open Science Platform. Submission deadline Abstract: 24 April Manuscript: 22 August More info.

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Study shows that seabirds spend 40% of their time on the high seas

Published in 11/3/2021

Albatrosses and other species of oceanic seabirds (such as shearwaters and sparrows) spend almost 40% of their time in waters outside the jurisdiction of countries, also known as "international waters". This finding is presented and discussed in the work “Global political responsibility for the conservation of albatrosses and large petrels”, recently published in the journal Science Advances. The study is an outcome from contributions of a vast consortium, which includes a CESAM member, based in Lisbon University. The study represent an enormous effort to analyze the movements of seabirds, by including 10,108 routes of 5,775 individuals, belonging to 39 species of seabirds, obtained in 87 breeding colonies (using miniaturized tracking devices placed on animals). Many of these bird species suffer various threats on the high seas, and more than half of the albatrosses and similarly sized ocean birds are currently at risk of extinction, according to the criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Major threats include accidental catches in fishing gear, food shortages due to overfishing, climate change and pollution. In areas outside national jurisdictions the regulations regarding the conservation of species are more diffuse and the monitoring of the implementation of good practices is incipient and ineffective. Although fishing activities are regulated, there is no global legal framework that adequately frames biodiversity conservation in the high seas. By demonstrating that most species of oceanic birds regularly cross waters under different jurisdictions, the study highlights the idea that no nation alone can guarantee the conservation of these birds throughout the annual cycle. In addition, all the species analyzed depend to some extent on the high seas, i.e., on international waters covering half the surface of the global ocean and one third of the terrestrial globe. Cory’s Shearwaters (Calonectris borealis) which breed in large numbers in the Azores, Madeira and also in Berlengas, for example, spend 48% of their time in international waters, and 12% of their time in waters of countries like Brazil, the Uruguay, Namibia and South Africa, where they feed on fish and cephalopods, and are vulnerable to accidental catch on hooks. For effective conservation of these highly mobile species, extensive international cooperation is needed to mitigate the risk of mortality in fisheries. This study is published when the United Nations is discussing a global treaty that guarantees the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in international waters. What has been documented for seabirds in this study certainly applies to many other iconic oceanic migrants, such as sea turtles, whales, dolphins and large predatory fish such as tuna and sharks. The survival of these charismatic animals is dependent on international cooperation, specifically targetting the conservation of global oceans. Paper: Beal M, Dias MP, Phillips RA, Oppel S, Hazin C (…) Granadeiro JP, Catry P (2021) Global political responsibility for the conservation of albatrosses and large petrels. Sci Adv. Mar 3;7(10):eabd7225. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abd7225. *** Photo: Shearwaters  Author:Benjamin Metzger License info:Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic

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Perspectives on micro (Nano) plastics in the marine environment: Biological and societal considerations – Water Editor's Choice Article

Published in 11/3/2021

The review article entitled “Perspectives on micro (Nano) plastics in the marine environment: Biological and societal considerations” was selected as “Editor's Choice Article” in the Water Journal. This article is co-authored by researchers from the CESAM/UA, the Department of Psychology and Education at Universidade Portucalense and the Center for Functional Ecology at the University of Coimbra, and it aimed to addresses the issue of marine waste from a biological and social perspective. Full article here.

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PhD student distinguished with iSLS9 2021 Prize for Best Poster at international congress

Published in 10/3/2021

Helena Beatriz Ferreira was awarded the prize for best poster at the 9th International Lipid Symposium in Singapore (iSLS9) organized by the National University of Singapore, which took place from the 1st to the 4th of March 2021. [Only availabe in Portuguese]

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CESAM is present in the Science Meeting 2022

Published in 16/5/2022

CESAM is participating in the 2022 edition of the Science Meeting, taking place between May 16 and 18, at the Lisbon Congress Center, with several communications, demonstrations and posters. On the 16th, António J A Nogueira will present a communication based on the FISHAQU project - Knowledge Exchange in sustainable Fisheries management and Aquaculture in the Mediterranean region, of which he is coordinator. The communication, entitled Exchange of knowledge on sustainable management of fisheries and aquaculture in the Mediterranean region/FishAqu, will be presented in the thematic session Quality Education II (Room 5A - 14h00-15h30). On the 17th, Susana I. L. Gomes will participate in the session Sustainable Consumption and Production III with a presentation entitled Mechanisms of toxicity of nanopesticides - towards safe and sustainable design options for the environment (Room 5B - 15h30-17h00) Sónia Cruz is one of the invited key note speakers at Plenary 5: "Ocean - Restoring oceans and seas", which takes place on May 18 (09h30-11h00). There will also be three posters presented by PhD students: Diego Esteves Pereira, Yago Cipoli and Sandra Hilário, and two demonstrations by researchers Alexandra Monteiro and Sizenando Abreu. The demonstrations and posters can be visited throughout the three days, in the exhibition area of the event, between 9:30am and 6:30pm. The program is available for consultation on the meeting's webpage. Ciência 2022 is promoted by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia in collaboration with Ciência Viva and the Comissão Parlamentar de Educação e Ciência, and also has the institutional support of the Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior.

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Six researchers from the University of Aveiro, three from CESAM, among the 101 from the book Women in Science

Published in 8/3/2021

The book “Women in Science” brings together 101 scientists from different generations and fields of knowledge. It will be released today, on the 8th, on International Women's Day, at 11 am, by Ciência Viva, with live transmission. Diana Madeira, Alexandra Monteiro and Sónia Cruz are the 3 CESAM researchers distinguished in this book.  More information here.

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CESAM received top score by FCT

Published in 5/3/2021

The evaluation process of the Research Units by FCT, carried out in 2017/2018 and known in December 2020, highlighted the quality of the Scientific Research of the University of Aveiro. CESAM was considered Excellent! Find more here.

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On World Wildlife Day, CESAM researchers highlight the project to revise the Red List of Mammals of mainland Portugal

Published in 3/3/2021

[only available in Portuguese]

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Webinar Fish Night 7: Gender equality in the seafood value chain marks the International Women´s Day

Published in 2/3/2021

On 8 March, will be held an IIED (International Institute for Environment and Development) online event: Fish Night 7: Gender equality in the seafood value chain. This event is about the importance of women in the seafood industry, the impacts of challenges such as COVID-19 and climate change on women, and how gender equality can be championed in the sustainable blue recovery. This online event has been organised by an IIED led project. This initiative aims to focus global attention on the importance and the role played by small-scale fishers, fish farmers, and fish workers. The researcher Cristina Pita is the debate moderator. Learn more and register for the webinar here.

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2021 Call for PhD Research Studentships

Published in 1/3/2021

Applications will be open from 1 to 31 Mar, 2021  More information.

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António Nogueira is co-author of an article on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Aquaculture

Published in 1/3/2021

The restrictive measures imposed worldwide to contain the spread of COVID-19 have directly impacted a wide range of economic activities. In May 2020, the pandemic by COVID-19 was indeed a global phenomenon, and a consortium of researchers representing 54 countries from four continents (America, Europe, Asia and Africa), decided to assess the impacts of the pandemic on Aquaculture. This consortium included the participation of Prof. António Nogueira of the Department of Biology and CESAM of the University of Aveiro. The consortium was led by Professor Gianluca Sarà of the University of Palermo (Italy), partner of the project "FISHAQU - Knowledge Exchange in sustainable Fisheries management and Aquaculture in the Mediterranean region" coordinated by Professor António Nogueira of the University of Aveiro and financed by the Erasmus+ programme. The global analysis of the information collected gave rise to a scientific article entitled "The Synergistic Impacts of Anthropogenic Stressors and COVID-19 on Aquaculture: A Current Global Perspective" published this Friday in open access in the prestigious journal "Reviews In Fisheries Science & Aquaculture" with DOI: 10.1080/23308249.2021.1876633. The main conclusions of this study indicate that "both anthropogenic stressors and the COVID-19 pandemic represent significant economic challenges to aquaculture systems across the globe, threatening the supply chain of one of the most important sources of animal protein, with potential disproportionate impacts on vulnerable communities." In addition it is important that " detrimental effects of COVID-19 under a multiple stressor lens, focusing on areas that have already locally experienced economic loss due to anthropogenic stressors in the last decade."

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CESAM was awarded the title of Laboratório Associado for a period of 10 years

Published in 26/2/2021

The results of the application for the attribution of the Associate Laboratory Statute were disclosed yesterday by FCT. CESAM is among the 40 institutions or consortia of institutions awarded the AL Statute, having scored 85 out of a maximum of 100. The results of the evaluation can be consulted here.

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Final Conference of the Project COCKLES will be held on March

Published in 23/2/2021

To raise scientific, political and societal attention to cockles, a final COCKLES conference has been organised. Apart from the more conventional scientific communications, it will also include exhibitions more devoted to the general public, stakeholders and students. It will represent a great opportunity to promote the main results obtained in the project. CESAM is one of the partners. Agenda already available here Please register for the event here

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CESAM/UA is copromoter of the F4F Forest for Future

Published in 23/2/2021

F4F Forest for Future is a regional project aimed at enhancing the forest sector in the Centro region. UA is represented by the CESAM researchers Glória Pinto, Artur Alves and Susana Loureiro. For more information go here. 

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Ana Sousa is one of the 50 invited specialists of the “50 for 2050” project

Published in 19/2/2021

Ana Sousa participated in the “50 to 2050” debate on climate change and targets to achieve carbon neutrality. The researcher talked about her work on blue carbon, the carbon stored in coastal and marine ecosystems, highlighting the role of seagrass meadows and salt marshes. The "50 to 2050" project, promoted by Expresso in partnership with BP Portugal, focuses on the environment, climate change, and goals for carbon neutrality. For more information on “50 for 2050” project and this debate go to: UA Expresso Debate

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May, 14, World Migratory Bird Day: Learning to migrate

Published in 13/5/2022

[Only available in Portuguese] Watch the vídeo

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Magda Catarina Sousa is the guest editor of Journal of Marine Science and Engineering special issue

Published in 16/2/2021

Magda Catarina Sousa is the guest editor of Journal of Marine Science and Engineering special issue: “Aquaculture: Ensure Sustainable Use and Foster Innovation for Future Climate Challenges” Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (IF: 2.033) is an international peer-reviewed open access journal of marine science and engineering published monthly online by MDPI.    Deadline submission: 10 May. More info 

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Ana Sofia Gomes and Bruno Nunes study shows the toxic effects of fishing gear

Published in 15/2/2021

The toxic effects of lead used in fishing, whether in the form of sport fishing lure weights or in industrial fishing activity, were demonstrated in Ana Sofia Gomes master's thesis defended at the University of Aveiro (UA). Bruno Nunes, the academic supervisor, hopes that this first scientific approach to the subject can open the debate and raise awareness in the community and the sector. Find more.

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Call for PhD Research Grant

Published in 1/3/2021

The scholarship will be financed by the “Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia” (FCT) under the Collaboration Protocol for Financing the Multiannual Plan for Research scholarships for PhD Students, signed between FCT and the R&D Unit "Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar” (CESAM) Ph.D Programmes: Biology and Ecology of Global Change Biology Environmental Sciences and Engineering Marine Science, Technology and Management - Do*Mar Applications deadline: 31st March 2021 Applicants can apply for several doctoral programmes, however only one proposal per applicant and doctoral programme is allowed.

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3 women, 3 researchers: CESAM marks International Day of Women and Girls in Science

Published in 11/2/2021

CESAM – Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar – supports an active multidisciplinary research program, hosting around 240 researchers and 200 PhD students. The gender ratio shows a higher female % in different categories, e.g. 70% female/30% male researchers. Science is one of the best vehicles to convene gender equality. Striving in science and building a scientific career often require large effort and commitment, for both men and woman. Seemingly, many women are loaded with stereotype layers, being often primarily seen as house and family carriers, or even as less capable to pursue highly qualified careers. This inequality based on preconceived labels is very difficult to overcome and there is a lot of work to be done ahead. From hard-work comes return, from challenges and planned hard-work comes achievement and progress. Women don’t expect it easy, and they certainly take the initiative. CESAM hosts many female researchers who are examples of success and dedication. To name some recognitions, female members were awarded the Medal of Honour for Women in Science (Vânia Calisto (2015) and Diana Madeira (2019)), “Women in Science” book (Mónica Amorim (2019)), and prestigious international grants (ERC, Sónia Cruz). They hold important discoveries, recognized at all career stages, from senior to younger. They can set the example, but it is the whole community that will set the legate. Many of the barriers also reside in each of us, women. In our brains. In our home. We hold the responsibility to act and create an equal society inside out. There are certainly places in the world where there are strict outside barriers, laws, that prevent women from pursuing education or engage onto many other stolen human rights – this level of gender inequality has devastating consequences. Our reality, e.g. in Europe, is certainly different from that, but hurdles still exist. Women must feel equal, to be equal, to act equal. Women must start by showing equality with their family. Then the world will realise. As Nelson Mandela once said, “There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”. Diana Madeira, Mónica Amorim, Vânia Calisto (Researchers, Women).

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Ana Sousa participated in the Meeting Marine Forests, “on the way” to carbon neutrality

Published in 11/2/2021

The Meeting Marine Forests, “on the way” to carbon neutrality was held on January 29th, and it was promoted by the Ocean Alive, a Portuguese NGO dedicated to ocean protection. This meeting consisted on a technical discussion on the challenges and possibilities for the inclusion of the contribution of marine ecosystems (specially seagrass meadows and salt marshes) in the national inventory and balance of green house gases (GHG) emissions, in the framework of the Roadmap for Carbon Neutrality 2050. The meeting promoted by Ocean Alive and hosted by Oceano Azul Foundation, was attended by members of the APA - Portuguese Environment Agency, ICNF - Portuguese Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests, Ministry of the Sea,  and researchers from several national marine research centers, among them the CESAM researcher Ana Sousa. According to Ana Sousa, “as scientists, it’s crucial that our research respond to scientific questions, but it’s also relevant these results can contribute to the implementation of national and international environmental policies”, demonstrating the willingness to collaborate of the researchers attending the meeting. For more information see the news published in the newspaper O Público.

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Ana Hilário and Cristina Pita are members of the team of the DEEPbaseline project

Published in 10/2/2021

DEEPbaseline is an interdisciplinary project aimed at co-developing a knowledge baseline on the diversity and distribution of deep-sea sponge and coral species and habitats of the continental shelf and upper slope of mainland Portugal. DEEPbaseline brings together scientists from four partner institutions (CIIMAR, IPMA, CESAM/UA, and Okeanos), local fishing communities and associations, fisheries managers, and the wider society to improve knowledge, foster awareness and advance conservation actions towards their sustainability. For more information see the project website.

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Marta Otero (CESAM), Olga Freitas and Sónia Figueiredo (REQUIMTE/LAQV) are the guest editors of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health special issue

Published in 8/2/2021

Marta Otero (CESAM) along with Olga Freitas and Sónia Figueiredo (REQUIMTE/LAQV) are the guest editors of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health special issue "Searching for Sustainable Solutions in Wastewater Treatment and Water Reuse". International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IF: 2.849) is an interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed, open access journal published online by MDPI.  Deadline submission: 30 September. More info 

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Regina Duarte and Armando C. Duarte are the guest editors of Atmosphere special issue

Published in 5/2/2021

Regina Duarte and Armando C. Duarte are the guest editors of Atmosphere special issue “Health Effects of Urban Atmospheric Aerosols”. Atmosphere (IF: 2.397) is an international peer-reviewed open access journal of scientific studies related to the atmosphere published monthly online by MDPI.  Deadline submission: 31 December. More info 

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Study on range wide energetic tradeoffs to breeding performance in Icelandic whimbrels

Published in 18/2/2021

The Icelandic whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus islandicus) is a long-distance migratory wader that spends the wintering season along the Atlantic coast, from temperate western Europe to tropical west Africa. This subspecies was the model study in Camilo Carneiro’s PhD, which, among others, had the aims of investigating tradeoffs between migration costs and wintering energetic balance, and carry-over effects from the wintering period into subsequent breeding phenology and investment. After intensive data collection in the Bijagós Archipelago (Guinea-Bissau), the Banc d’Arguin (Mauritania), the Tejo Estuary (Portugal) and in the breeding grounds in Iceland, it was found that by migrating further, individuals will likely winter where they can achieve a more positive energetic balance, and that females wintering in different regions did not differ significantly in laying dates nor size of eggs laid. Hence, Icelandic whimbrels tradeoff migratory costs and wintering conditions, but no apparent carry-over effects exist into breeding phenology and investment (and, therefore, breeding success). These results were recently published and discussed in Ecography, a journal that ranks 10/168 in the field of Ecology and 3/59 in Biodiversity Conservation, and can be accessed openly here. Ecography also published a short text about the paper on their blog. 

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CESAM celebrates the World Wetlands Day 2021, which marks the 50th anniversary of the Ramsar Convention (Convention on Wetlands of International Importance).

Published in 2/2/2021

Wetlands play a critical role in providing freshwater, improving water quality, sequestering carbon, regulating climate, mitigating floods, and supporting biodiversity. However, with the rapid population growth, wetlands worldwide are threatened by land use changes, pollution, salinization, urbanization and by the presence of invasive species with potential negative outcomes on biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and services and on human health. Interactions between global climate change and these anthropogenic stressors are likely to further increase the degradation of wetlands in the coming decades. Wetlands protection, restoration, and sustainable exploitation is thus a priority for researchers and decision makers. Within CESAM, several transdisciplinary and international research projects have been assessing potential impacts of different stressors and the ecological health of fresh and saltwater wetlands. As examples, under the FCT projects GoBiG (GlObal change and BioloGical Invasions: Potamopyrgus antipodarum as a case study) and SLEEP (Shedding light on freshwater ecosystems under environmental change and pollution), both set to start this year, CESAM teams will use Molecular, Ecological and Ecotoxicological approaches to contribute for a better understanding of the ecological effects of an invasive snail species and of light pollution (artificial light at night) on riverine wetlands that are already threatened by climate change and pollution.  For more information on the World Wetlands Day go to the website here and get know the 31 Portuguese sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance here.

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Launch of the European research and innovation program PARC

Published in 13/5/2022

On May 12 and 13, the European partnership for the assessment of risks from chemicals (PARC) was launched in Paris. This partnership aims to develop the next generation of chemical risk assessment, incorporating both human health and the environment in a "One Health" approach. Among the nine signatory entities that are part of this Platform is a team from the Center for Environmental and Marine Studies-CESAM, at the University of Aveiro. PARC aims to bring together a broad community of research institutions and regulatory agencies to advance research, share knowledge and improve expertise in chemical risk assessment. The results of this partnership, which began on May 1, 2022, will be used to support new European and national strategies to reduce exposure to hazardous chemicals and their impact on health and the environment. PARC will contribute to the European Union's Chemicals Sustainability Strategy and the "zero pollution" ambition of the European Green Deal. It involves almost 200 partners from 28 countries, as well as three EU agencies (the European Environment Agency - EEA, the European Chemicals Agency - ECHA and the European Food Safety Authority - EFSA), with the participation of European public partners, including European and national risk assessment agencies, universities and public research organizations. Five European Commission Directorates General (DG-RTD, DG-GROW, DG-ENV, DG-SANTE and JRC) and the ministries of the countries involved are contributing to the governance of PARC and will monitor its activities. The partnership will run for seven years and is scheduled to end in spring 2029. PARC has an estimated budget of €400 million, half of which is being funded by the European Commission and the rest by the partner countries. ANS ES is the coordinator of the partnership. In Portugal, PARC is articulated by the National Platform for Environment and Health, which includes the Ministries of Health, Environment and Climate Change, and Science, Technology and Higher Education, and the signatories National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge and Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon. Among the nine signatory entities that are part of this Platform is a team from the Center for Environment and Sea Studies-CESAM, coordinator at the University of Aveiro, and a team from the Institute of Biomedicine-iBiMED. These two teams will be involved in several working groups on environmental and human monitoring, chemical hazard assessment, ecotoxicology and toxicology, risk assessment of chemical mixtures, as well as a component of training and capacity building of human resources and dissemination and communication with the different stakeholders, including the general public.

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Cláudia Mieiro and Mário Pacheco are the guest editors of Water special issue

Published in 1/2/2021

Cláudia Mieiro and Mário Pacheco are the guest editors of Water special issue "Nanoparticles Toxicity to Marine Organisms—A Nanosized or a Giant Environmental Issue?” Water (IF: 2.544) is an international peer-reviewed open access journal on water science and technology, including the ecology and management of water resources, published online by MDPI. Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October.  More info.

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Call for Project Grants in all Scientific Domains

Published in 11/3/2021

Applications will be open from: 28 Jan to 10 Mar, 2021  More information. 

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PRE-ANNOUNCEMENT - CESAM Recruitment for an ERA Chair holder position

Published in 2/2/2021

CESAM is looking to hire an ERA Chair holder to establish and lead an international highly skilled research team in the area Environmental Economics and Natural Resources, in the scope of the H2020 ERA Chair project "BESIDE - Institutional, Behavioural, critical and adaptive economics towards Sustainable Development, management of natural capital and circular Economy”. BESIDE is a six-year project awarded with 2.5 M €, that aims to reinforce and consolidate research expertise in Environmental Economics and Natural Resources at the University of Aveiro Associated Laboratory CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies. The mission of CESAM is to develop leading international research on environmental sciences and related risks, including extreme weather events and climate change, with emphasis on complex socio-ecological coastal systems and marine areas. The main objective of CESAM is to promote a more efficient use of terrestrial and aquatic (from catchment to the deep sea) environmental resources and a more competitive, resilient and sustainable economy, designed to endorse job creation and assure territorial and social cohesion Additional information on www.cesam.ua.pt. The Chair holder will be hired for a five years’ position, renewed annually, equivalent to Coordinator Researcher (the highest position for researchers in Portugal, equivalent to Full Professor) and will have autonomy to establish their own research team (1 Assistant researcher, 4 Junior researchers, 1 high level technician and 3 PhD students). Appointment to the position will be in accordance with the salary agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Directorate General for Administration and Public Employment. It will include 14 salaries (12 months, holidays, and Christmas allowances), Social Security, Labour Accident Insurance, and the right of protection in health ensured by the National Health Service. Please check the following links for more information on salary and taxation: https://www.dgaep.gov.pt/en/index.cfm https://www.aniap.pt/DL/SR_AP_2020.pdf https://info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/pt/docs/Conteudos_1pagina/Pages/portuguese-tax-system.aspx The official announcement will open soon. City of AveiroLocated in the Central Region of Portugal, Aveiro combines perfectly tradition, nature and modernity. The main influence on the city is the Aveiro coastal lagoon system, making it unique. It brings together industry, business, tourism, sports, architectural and natural heritage and a university that knows how to welcome anyone with open arms. Aveiro is a safe and quiet city, benefiting from all of the advantages of a major city, while also being a pleasant place in which to live and work. The Aveiro region is also a good starting point to visit and discover Portugal, as it is a short distance from the major Portuguese cities, in particular the capital Lisbon (about 220 km) and Porto (about 60 km away), where there are English, German, and French International schools. Its central position and the road and rail networks that go through it mean that travelling is easy to different parts of the country and even to Spain. The proximity of the Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport in Porto makes it easy to travel and discover other parts of Europe. Application details will be announced soon.

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2nd IDEIA Conference – Innovation in Maritime Operations. Aligning with Academia and Industry, 26-27 January

Published in 28/1/2021

Ana Lillebø was one of the speakers at the 4th Innovation Talk Maritime Defence and Blue Economy held on 27th January. For more information go to Marinha website.

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PERICLES Project - The natural and cultural heritage of Ria de Aveiro

Published in 22/1/2021

[only available in Portuguese]                          

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Carla Patrícia Silva and Diana Lima are the guest editors of Toxics special issue

Published in 22/1/2021

Carla Patrícia Silva and Diana Lima are the guest editors of Toxics special issue " Removal of Pharmaceuticals in Water and Wastewater Treatment". Toxics (IF: 3.271) is an international peer-reviewed open access journal on all aspects of the toxicity of chemicals and materials, published quarterly online by MDPI.  Deadline submission: 31 October. More info.

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Ângela Barreto and Vera Lúcia Maria are the guest editors of Applied Sciences special issue

Published in 21/1/2021

Ângela Barreto and Vera Lúcia Maria are the guest editors of Applied Sciences special issue "Contaminants of Emerging Concern—(Eco)Toxicity, Environmental Behavior and Remediation". Applied Sciences (IF:2.474) is an international peer-reviewed open access journal on all aspects of applied natural sciences published online by MDPI. Deadline submission: 10 July. More info.

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Vera Lúcia Maria and Ângela Barreto are the guest editors of Toxics special issue

Published in 21/1/2021

Vera Lúcia Maria and Ângela Barreto are the guest editors of Toxics special issue "Plastics (Macro-, Micro- and Nano-) as Vectors for Other Environmental Contaminants". Toxics (IF: 3.271) is an international peer-reviewed open access journal on all aspects of the toxicity of chemicals and materials, published quarterly online by MDPI.  Deadline submission: 31 August. More info.

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Call for abstracts: Goldschmidt202, Lyon, 4 - 9 July 2021

Published in 21/1/2021

Sónia Rodrigues and Astrid Avellan are part of the organization of the 11f entitle "Biota and geochemical cycles: mechanisms of transformation, uptake, and translocation of metal and metalloid species in the critical zone" in the upcoming 2021 Goldschmidt conference to be held in Lyon, France, from 4 to 9 July. It is part of Theme 11 "Metals and nutrients in terrestrial and freshwater systems". The abstract submission is now open and the deadline for submission is February 26 2021.   Submission details can be found here.

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Genesis Project workshop - January 20, 2021

Published in 20/1/2021

Ana Miranda participes in the “Integração de coberturas e paredes verdes no espaço urbano”, an event organised by the Genesis Project, which is taking place today (20 jan) online. For more information on the program and how to participate go here. GENESIS is a research project promoted by Instituto Superior Técnico, Instituto Superior de Agronomia and University of Aveiro. For more information see the project website here.

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Diálogo do CESAM VI - 11 May

Published in 11/5/2022

Diálogo VI 11/maio/2022, 16:00h, Anfiteatro do Ed. CESAM Moderador: Ulisses Azeiteiro (Linha Ecossistemas e Recursos Marinhos) Grupos: MBA (Ricardo Calado) e POMG (Paulo Baganha) e SB (Artur Alves)

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Advanced course “PLANKTON IN A CHANGING WORLD. PLANKTON AND PRODUCTIVITY. Ecology, processes and new methodologies", 1-5 Feb 2021

Published in 18/1/2021

The advanced course "PLANKTON IN A CHANGING WORLD. PLANKTON AND PRODUCTIVITY. Ecology, processes and new methodologies" will be held online from 1 to 5 February 2021.   This advanced course, organized by the Department of Biology (DBIO) and coordinated by Fernando Morgado (CESAM & DBIO), has the participation of professors and researchers from the Universidade de Aveiro (CESAM & DBIO), Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera (IPMA), Centro de Ciências do Mar do Algarve (CCMAR), Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar Egas Moniz (CiiEM), Centro de Microscopia Electrónica e Histopatologia Egas Moniz (Cmicros) and Biocant (Next Generation Sequencing Unit – Genoinseq). For more information go here.  

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Bruna Oliveira and Jan Keizer research burnt areas and verified a fast recovery in the post-fire

Published in 18/1/2021

An eddy-covariance system was installed in a burnt area in Central Portugal after a wildfire that had occurred on 13 August 2017 and has been operating from the 43rd post-fire day onwards. Over the first post-fire year, the cumulative net ecosystem exchange was −347 g C m−2, revealing a relatively fast recovery of the carbon sink function of the ecosystem. This recovery was mainly due to understory species, both resprouter and seeder species, since pine recruitment was reduced. This research was pioneer worldwide in studying the ecosystem carbon fluxes during the first window-of-disturbance after a wildfire. These results were published in Biogeosciences (open-access journal).

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The Wildlife Seminars are back

Published in 15/1/2021

The cycle of seminars on Wildlife, organized by the Wildlife Unit of the Department of Biology and the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) of the University of Aveiro (UA), seeks to not only ensure the sharing of knowledge and experience by biologists, but also by those who develop their activities in the field of conservation and management of wildlife and natural resources. The cycle takes place on January 13th and 20th.More information.

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Abstract submission is open for the EGU General Assembly 2021 to be held online from 19 to 30 April

Published in 14/1/2021

The EGU General Assembly 2021 will bring together geoscientists from all over the world to one meeting covering all disciplines of the Earth, planetary, and space sciences. The EGU aims to provide a forum where scientists, especially early career researchers, can present their work and discuss their ideas with experts in all fields of geoscience. Irina Gorodetskaya is the convener of the session “Clouds, moisture, and precipitation in the Polar Regions: Sources, processes and impacts” at the EGU General Assembly 2021. Abstract submission deadline: 20 January

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Irina Gorodetskaya, a lead author of the IPCC AR6 WGI “The Physical Science Basis”, invites CESAM researchers to contribute to IPCC expert review for WGII “Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability”

Published in 14/1/2021

The Government and Expert Review of the Second Order Draft (SOD) of the Working Group II Contribution to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Assessment Report (AR6 Climate Change 2021: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability) is open and will run until 29 January 2021. Registration will be open until 22 January 2021. Comments on the SOD are welcome. The IPCC is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change. For more information see the IPCC website.

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Myriam Lopes and Ana Miranda are part of the team of the European project EUSTEPs - Enhancing Universities’ Sustainability TEaching and Practices through Ecological Footprint

Published in 12/1/2021

The EUSTEPs project - Enhancing Universities Sustainability TEaching and Practices through Ecological Footprint (https://www.eusteps.eu/) - marked its presence throughout 2020 at the University of Aveiro and ended the year with the culmination of the EUSTEPs Sustainability Teaching Module for students from the different partner universities. All the materials developed by the team have now been disclosed and are available for free on the project's website. Read full text here.

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CESAM is one of the members of the scientific coordination of the project “Livro Vermelho dos Mamíferos”

Published in 8/1/2021

The “Revisão do Livro Vermelho dos Mamíferos de Portugal Continental e contributo para a avaliação do seu estado de conservação” project was launched in 2019 and aims to learn which species are most threatened and which are stable or increasing their population. The deadline for completion of the work is 2021. The intervention area of this project covers the whole territory of Continental Portugal, with field work giving special attention to the National Network of Protected Areas and the Special Areas of Conservation of Natura 2000 Network. Find More

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Olga Ameixa and Ana Lillebø are the guest editors of Sustainability special issue

Published in 8/1/2021

Olga Ameixa and Ana Lillebø (CESAM and DBIo) are the guest editors of Sustainability special issue: "Insects, Food Security and Circular Food Production". Sustainability (IF: 2.576) is an international, cross-disciplinary, peer-reviewed and open access journal providing an advanced forum for studies related to sustainability and sustainable development, published semimonthly online by MDPI. Deadline submission: 31 December 2021. Read more

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Individual Call to Scientific Employment Stimulus - 4th Edition

Published in 10/2/2021

Applications will be open from 29 Jan to 26 Feb, 2021. More information.

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3rd edition of the UA PhD Scholarship contest

Published in 7/1/2021

Applications will be open from December 31/2020 to 24:00 h on January 31/2021 and must be submitted electronically via email at research@ua.pt. The notice, and other information, is available at https://www.ua.pt/pt/bolsas-de-doutoramento-ua. Any questions should be sent to GAI for clarification via email research@ua.pt

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Joana Pereira integrates the scientific committee of the Smart and Circular Agriculture towards Sustainability Congress

Published in 9/5/2022

The Smart and Circular Agriculture towards Sustainability Congress will take place on 21 and 22 July, in Porto. Joana Pereira integrates the scientific committee of the congress. Abstracts are accepted until May 31.

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CESAM researchers shared knowledge with students from Indonesian Higher Education Institutions

Published in 6/1/2021

In the frame of the partnership established between the University of Aveiro and Higher Education Institutions from Indonesia, several CESAM researchers conducted three lectures to a hundred students in Indonesia. Find more here.

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Matthew Moreira was awarded with best short talk prize (ex aequo) at the XVI APBE meeting

Published in 6/1/2021

The Associação Portuguesa de Biologia Evolutiva (APBE) held their XVI meeting on the 16th and 17th of December 2020. This first-time online event was a great success with 19 excellent short talks, 18 flash talks, and with more than 100 attendees. The meeting was chaired by Marcelo Sánchez-Villagra (Paläontologisches Institut und Museum – Universität Zürich) and Frank E. Zachos (Natural History Museum Vienna, Austria). Find more here. Exceptionally, APBE decided to award 2 prizes (ex aequo) for the best short talk, which were won by PhD students Jéssica Teodoro-Paulo (cE3c) and Matthew Moreira (CESAM). The prize will be the registration at the next European Society for Evolutionary Biology (ESEB) congress to be held in Prague (Czech Republic) in August 2021.

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First prize in the “Junior” category of the 2nd contest “Science Communication on Microbiology”

Published in 5/1/2021

The end of 2020 brought us a wonderful surprise – the first prize in the “Junior” category of the 2nd contest “Science Communication on Microbiology”, promoted by the Portuguese Society of Microbiology. The work entitled "O vírus com álcool ou sabão: uma história de inativação!" results from a collaboration between researchers Ana Cristina Esteves (UA/CESAM) and Ana Sofia Duarte, Raquel Silva and Sara Costa (Faculty of Dental Medicine- Universidade Católica). More information on the winners here  

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Video of the research group Environmental Changes, Hazards & Conservation (ECHC)

Published in 26/1/2021

Every Monday, in the next twelve weeks, CESAM will release the videos of the twelve Research Groups. October 26, 2020: Marine Biotechnology & Aquaculture (MBA) November 2, 2020: Adaptation Biology & Ecological Processes (ABEP) November 9, 2020: Analytical Sensors & Applied Eco-Chemistry (ASAEC) November 16, 2020: Aquatic Toxicology & Risk Assessment (ATRA) November 23, 2020: Atmospheric Processes & Modelling (APM) November 27, 2020: Biogeochemical Processes & Pollutants (BPP) December 4, 2020: Coastal and Deep-Ocean Ecology & Conservation (CDEC) December 14, 2020: Physical Oceanography & Marine Geology (POMG) January 4, 2020: Resources Circularity Assessment & Technology (RCAT) January 11, 2021: Socio-Ecological Systems Analysis, Management & Planning (SES) January 18, 2021: Stress Biology (SB) January 26, 2021: Environmental Changes, Hazards & Conservation (ECHC)   All videos will be available on CESAM’s YouTube Channel and on CESAM’s website.

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The report of the LabMAF project has been published

Published in 23/12/2020

Cristina Pita co-authored the LabMAF report “Market opportunities for artisanal and small-scale fisheries products for sustainability of the Mediterranean Sea. Towards an innovative Labelling Scheme”.  With this report the LabMAF project explores the potential of markets to revive and support a socially, economically and environmentally sustainable small-scale fishing sector. Report.

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Published in 22/12/2020

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1st Microbiome PT Summit

Published in 21/12/2020

Francisco Coelho (CESAM) will participate in the first national meeting on Microbiome research - 1st Microbiome PT Summit. The event will be held on February 4, 2021. Learn more and register for the Summit here.

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RTP documentary inspired by CESAM/UA research work is a success

Published in 17/12/2020

First shown on RTP1 on December 6th, the documentary “Migradores de Longa Distância. Entre o Tejo e o Ártico” was seen by 343 thousand spectators at its premiere. The total number of national and international spectators is certainly higher, as the documentary, which has scientific review from the CESAM/UA, continues to be viewed on the RTPplay platform, where it is currently housed and making a real impact on scientific dissemination. For further information.

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Célia Alves and Helena Oliveira are the guest editors of Atmosphere special issue

Published in 8/6/2021

Célia Alves and Helena Oliveira (CESAM), along with Nilmara Brito (São Paulo University), are the guest editors of Atmosphere special issue  "Toxicology of Atmospheric Particulate Matter" Atmosphere (IF: 2.397) is an international peer-reviewed open access journal of scientific studies related to the atmosphere published monthly online by MDPI.  Deadline submission: 30 June 2021. More info 

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Ricardo Calado named to the SCAR-Fish - Fisheries and Aquaculture Research Group

Published in 17/12/2020

The researcher from CESAM and the Department of Biology of the University of Aveiro Ricardo Calado was appointed by the Portuguese Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education as an Alternate National Representative to the SCAR-Fish - Fisheries and Aquaculture Research Group of the Standing Committee on Agricultural Research (SCAR) of the European Union. More information.

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Ocean Break | 20 Maio

Published in 9/5/2022

20th May 2022 | 12:30 - 13:30 | Room 9.1.1 (DEMaC) Marcos Teixeira (PhD student, University of Minho) Hidden diversity in the European phyllodocida (Annelida, Polychaeta) unraveled as complexes of cryptic species Molecular techniques have been effective in signaling potential hidden diversity in species with apparent similar morphology, previously thought to be cosmopolitan. To further explore on this issue, a combined analysis of multi-locus molecular data, and morphological and morphometric examination was performed with 6 widespread and well-known polychaete species collected in different European locations. As a result, a total of 70 lineages (signaling distinct species) were uncovered for: Eumida sanguinea (22 lineages), Eulalia clavigera (9), Hediste diversicolor (5), Platynereis dumerilii (10), Perinereis cultrifera (14) and Trypanosyllis zebra (10). It was found that, while many of those lineages are almost indistinguishable morphologically, some other have obvious morphological differences that were previously overlooked. The Macaronesian islands and the western part of the Mediterranean Sea seem to be hotspots of cryptic speciation, with a total of 10 and 30 unique lineages for each region, respectively. Furthermore, the lineages from those two regions are genetically closer to each other, when comparing to the ones of the NE Atlantic. This study added 2171 new DNA sequences to public reference libraries (GenBank and Bold systems), where only 11% of the known Phyllodocida species are barcoded.

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CESAM researcher in Spanish TV show

Published in 16/12/2020

The researcher Ana Genua was invited by the Spanish national channel La 2 to participate in the TV show El Cazador de Cerebros. In this edition of the program focused in climate change in Spain, the researcher of CESAM contributed with information on the impacts of sea level rise in rice fields of the Ebro Delta (Spain), a result from the work she developed in her PhD thesis and in the work published in the scientific journal Science of the Total Environment. The program was shown on 14th December and can be seen here [in Spanish].

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Andreia C. M. Rodrigues and Maria Donas Bôtto Bordalo are the guest editors of the Toxics’ special issue

Published in 8/1/2021

Andreia C. M. Rodrigues and Maria Donas Bôtto Bordalo are the guest editors of the Toxics special issue "Combined Effects of Climate Change and Merging Chemicals on Ecosystems". Toxics (IF: 3.271) is an international peer-reviewed open access journal on all aspects of the toxicity of chemicals and materials, published quarterly online by MDPI.  Deadline submission: 30 june 2021. More info.  

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High School Research Project involving CESAM members wins National Science Competition and qualifies for European Final

Published in 11/12/2020

The young researchers João Carvalho, Klára Varga and Sara Couto, coordinated by their Science teacher Rita Rocha, from Colégio Luso-Francês, are the winners of the 28th Edition of the Young Scientists and Researchers Competition with a project called ATMOS - Quantification of the Ecosystem Services provided by Living Green Walls for Atmospheric Pollutants Removal. The work, developed over two years, had the scientific supervision of Regina Duarte and Armando da Costa Duarte, researchers of CESAM and Department of Chemistry of University of Aveiro. The ATMOS project aimed at quantifying the environmental service provided by trees, in removing Particulate Matter (PM) from the atmosphere, with a special focus on the inhalable fraction, PM2.5. Once the PM retained was determined, this value was used to translate the environmental service provided by the trees into an economic value. In the first year, the study focused on the application of standardized methodologies to quantify the adsorption of PM onto the leaf surface. After the analysis of the preliminary data, the authors of ATMOS developed an alternative sampling and quantification method, based on the volumetric calculation of the available adsorption fraction of the tree and image analysis, using specific software. The ATMOS project offers a solution to mitigate atmospheric pollution in urban environments, through a low-cost nature-based solution. This is of utmost importance, since Air Quality in urban environments is part of the European Union's strategic priorities, shaped by the Green Deal's Zero Pollution ambition. The ATMOS was selected to represent Portugal in EUCYS - European Union Contest for Young Scientists Competition, which will be held in Salamanca, in September 2021.  

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CESAM celebrates the International Mountain Day highlighting the rWILD-COA project

Published in 11/12/2020

The rWILD-COA project, funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, integrates a variety of disciplines (e.g. ecology, microbiology, veterinary) and its team is led by the researcher João Carvalho (CESAM-UA). Find more on UA News.

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Ciência com Impacto has launched its newly designed website

Published in 10/12/2020

The Ciência com Impacto new website boasts a refreshed look, improved navigation that direct you to the needed information, and also announces new scientific partners (CESAM, MARE, IA, CIMO, MED, CCMAR) and media partners (Diário de Notícias and TVI24). Visit Ciência com Impacto

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The LIFE REFOREST project started a field trial to promote post-fire vegetation recovery with native tree and shrub species

Published in 10/12/2020

In a joint effort of the University of Aveiro and FORESTIS, the LIFE REFOREST project started a seeding experiment to assess the potential of the REFOREST geotubes, filled with mycotechnosoil, to promote the recovery of native trees and shrubs following recurrent wildfires in Maritime Pine plantations. To this end, certified seeds were used from 2 native tree species - Maritime Pine (Pinus pinaster) and Common oak (Quercus robur) - and 2 native shrub species - Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) and Wild cherry (Prunus avium). The seeding still counted with the precious help of the SusPiRe project, and so will the ensuing monitoring of the emergence and growth of the plantlets. Find more.

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Ocean Seminar - The second world ocean assessment (Regular Process) of the United Nations (UN) and the Implementation Plan for UN Decade of Ocean Science (2021-2030)

Published in 11/12/2020

CESAM’s researcher, Luís Menezes Pinheiro, will participate as a speaker in the Ocean Seminar under the theme “The second world ocean assessment (Regular Process) of the United Nations (UN) and the Implementation Plan for UN Decade of Ocean Science (2021-2030)”. The seminar will be held in a virtual format on December 14, 2020 (Monday), starting at 17:00. This event is promoted by the Sociedade de Geografia de Lisboa, CEEA - Center for Atlantic Strategic Studies and MARE-ULisboa. Find more information on the Seminar program and registration.

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Long-distance migrants: between the Tagus and the Arctic has been highlighted in the media

Published in 11/12/2020

The documentary "Long-distance migrants: between the Tagus and the Arctic", on black-tailed godwits’ migration, was broadcast last Sunday, December 6, 2020, on RTP1. This documentary is based on the work of an international research team, led by CESAM’s researcher, José Alves, who for the past 15 years has been dedicated to understanding the responses of these birds to global changes throughout the annual cycle and in places as far away as the Arctic. The documentary also warns of the impact that the construction of a new airport on the Montijo airbase will have on the shorebirds. Nonetheless, Portugal is committed to conserving shorebirds in the Tagus estuary under Community directives. This documentary is now available on RTP Play and it has been highlighted in several media. Some news can be seen here, here and an interview at Antena 1 ('28.15 )

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New Alternet website

Published in 9/12/2020

Alternet (formerly branded as ALTER-Net), a network of which CESAM is a partner, has a new website, logo, branding, and slogan. For further information check the new Alternet: the European Science-Policy Interface on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services website.

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The SMART project, which includes CESAM´s researcher Magda Sousa, won the AI Moonshot Challenge de 2020 award

Published in 6/12/2020

The SMART project, diStributed AI systeM for mArine plastic debRis monitoring, was submitted to the "AI Moonshot Challenge" call, being the only and the first one selected for funding. SMART is coordinated by IST, with a team from the Department of Physics and CESAM, including the CESAM’s researchers Magda Sousa, João Miguel Dias, Nuno Vaz and Renato Mendes. The MIT, FEUP and Hydrographic Institute are also partners. More information. 

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Café de Ciência com João Dias

Published in 9/5/2022

[Only available in Portuguese]

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COOPERMINHO Project Webinar

Published in 11/12/2020

The COOPERMINHO Project Webinar will be held on December 11, at 3:00 pm. See the program.

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CESAM´s researcher Ana Hilário was elected Vice-President of the EurOcean’s Executive Committee.

Published in 3/12/2020

Executive Committee members are elected by the EurOcean Members (Steering Committee) for a two-year term, renewable once if re-elected.

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World Soil Day

Published in 1/2/2021

The World Soil Day is on the 5th December and there will be several online webinars in case you want to attend. The general one will be held on the 4th December and you can register here. Other info: World Soil Day | Keep soil alive, protect soil biodiversity (Dec 2) Integrated Landscape Strategies to Reach Post-2020 Biodiversity Conservation Goals (Dec 7) 

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"Long-distance migrants: between the Tagus and the Arctic", RTP documentary on José A. Alves (CESAM) research. December 6th, at 11.30 on RTP 1

Published in 2/12/2020

RTP1 will broadcast a new documentary on black-tailed godwits’ migration, and the work of a team of researchers from the Department of Biology and CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, led by José Alves, focused on the study of migratory shorebirds that travel each year between Portugal and the Arctic. Trailer: Joaquim Pedro (CESAM) & Pedro Miguel Ferreira (PlaySolutions Audiovisual Producer) More information.

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Researcher of CESAM on the frontier of deep sea exploration

Published in 26/11/2020

The researcher Ana Hilário coordinates with Kerry Howell (University of Plymouth, UK), expert in ecology of the deep-sea, the program Challenger 150. This initiative brings together a team of scientists of 45 institutions of 17 countries that propose a research program for 10 years dedicated to the deep-sea. In this context, the researchers have publish a call for attention in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution along with a detailed structure of the Challenger 150 in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science. The complete news here.

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Information on the impacts of the pandemic on the fishing sectors in Portugal disseminated internationally

Published in 25/11/2020

In July 2020, CESAM members disclosure a briefing note about the impacts of COVID-19 on the fishing and aquaculture sectors and related activities in Portugal, in the context of the project COVIDPESCA. The document, written in Portuguese, was now summarized and translated to English in an infographic, in a collaboration between CESAM and IIED (International Institute for Environment and Development). With this, the impact of COVID-19 on the fishing sector in Portugal can be known internationally. The infographic is available here.

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Webinar on strandings of marine mammals and seaturtles

Published in 11/12/2020

11 Dec 2020, 14h30-16h00 [The next content is only available in PT] O projeto"Rede de Arrojamentos do Norte de Portugal: mamíferos e tartarugas marinhas - 2020" permite dar resposta a arrojamentos de animais marinhos (cetáceos, focas e tartarugas)  desde Caminha a Peniche e contribui para o aumento do conhecimento científico sobre o estado de conservação do meio marinho. Neste evento, serão abordados o funcionamento da rede de arrojamentos em Portugal e os resultados obtidos durante 2020 para a área do projeto. O webinar será em português e limitado a 100 participantes. A inscrição neste evento é obrigatória e pode ser feita AQUI  até ao dia 10 de dezembro.

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Study of CESAM on reproduction and immunity of egyptian mongooses

Published in 18/11/2020

The Journal of Zoology of the Zoological Society of London has just published a study on reproduction and immunity in egyptian mongooses (Herpestes ichneumon), whose authorship is shared between two researchers from the Department of Biology & CESAM of the University of Aveiro (Victor Bandeira and Carlos Fonseca), in partnership with researchers from rom the University Rey Juan Carlos (Emílio Virgós), Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research and the Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (Alexandre Azevedo) and the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon (Mónica V.Cunha). The complete news and link for the original article here.

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Study of CESAM warns that increases in temperatures will ‘bake’ the Iberian Peninsula

Published in 18/11/2020

The temperatures of the Iberian Peninsula will increase in a “very worrying” way during this century. The alert comes from a study by CESAM - University of Aveiro that foresees average temperature increases of 2 to 3 degrees throughout the year, until 2100, enough to cause serious impacts on the environment and, consequently, on public health. In Portugal there are even regions that could register increases of 4 to 5 degrees Celsius daily. The complete news and link for the original article available here.

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CESAM was present at the 6ª Jornadas de Engenharia Hidrográfica/1ª Jornadas Luso-Espanholas de Hidrografia

Published in 3/12/2020

A CESAM team that includes the staff members Rita Cavalinhos and Paulo Rosa,  PhD student Ricardo Correia, his supervisor Prof. Luis Menezes Pinheiro and CESAM´s researcher and Scientific Coordinator , Ana Lillebø, presented the study entitled ‘Operacionalização da embarcação científica do CESAM: Levantamentos Hidrográficos em ambiente costeiro com o sistema Multifeixe EM2040C’ at the 6ª Jornadas de Engenharia Hidrográfica/1ª Jornadas Luso-Espanholas de Hidrografia, helded in Lisbon, 3-5 November. With this work, the research vessel NEREIDE was introduced to the community. Moreover, it was shown how the students from University of Aveiro have the opportunity of being part of the CESAM’s field team. The bathymetry data collected with equipment of this infrastructure was also presented. The study was published in the proceedings of the event and can be consulted here and the results are available here (open access). The research vessel of CESAM and its equipment are available for collaborations with other research units and institutions.

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Luísa Magalhães and Heliana Teixeira at Pint of Science

Published in 6/5/2022

Luísa Magalhães and Heliana Teixeira participate in the panel O Nosso Mundo do Pint of Science Portugal, on the 10th, at 7:00 PM, at Lovecraft Beer Lounge Aveiro. More info here.

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Study of CESAM concludes: Autonomous vehicles will bring improvements to the urban environment

Published in 17/11/2020

If the advent of autonomous vehicles promises to improve road safety, what consequences will it have for air quality in cities? Will the change in vehicle behavior bring about a reduction in pollution? For the first time, a study by the University of Aveiro answers the questions: yes, autonomous vehicles will bring less polluted and therefore healthier air to cities. The complete news here.

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Science: Animals in the Arctic change behavior in response to climate change

Published in 6/11/2020

After 30 years monitoring the movements of animals living in the Arctic polar zone, about 150 researchers from more than 100 institutions, including the researcher of CESAM/UA José Alves, have no doubts: the climate changes that have led the Arctic to enter a new ecological state, have caused changes in the spatial-temporal dynamics of the animals living in the region. The article was published on November 5th in Science magazine. The complete news here. You can also see the interview for RTP1 and the news in the national journal Expresso (both in PT).

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CESAM will be present at the Encontro Ciência

Published in 2/11/2020

On the 3rd and 4th of November, another Encontro Ciência will happen. CESAM´s researcher Alexandra Monteiro is one of the invited speakers at the plenary session dedicated to  science in Portugal towards a Green Europe (Ciência em Portugal para uma Europa mais VERDE). Due to the pandemic, this year the event was adapted. As a consequence, oral sessions were canceled and demonstrations and poster presentations were adjusted. CESAM will participate  with some of its research short videos and also in the poster sessions, in which several PhD students will be present their work. More information on the event here.

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CESAM celebrates World Cities Day by highlighting the project SOPRO

Published in 2/11/2020

Currently, more than half of the world population lives in urban areas and this ratio is expected to increase to two-thirds, by 2050. Cities consume more than 65% of the global energy and are responsible for more than 70% of worldwide emissions of carbon dioxide. Thus, the decisions that we now take regarding the urban infrastructures for the next decades – urban planning, energy efficiency, transports – will be determinant for the carbon footprint. Greenhouse gases and atmospheric pollutants share the same emission sources. Therefore, improving air quality may boost climate change mitigation efforts and vice-versa. Nevertheless, about 90% of residents in European urban areas are exposed to pollutant levels that exceed the values imposed by the ambient air quality directive (2008/50/EC) or recommended by the World Health Organization. The latest burden estimates reflect the impressive role air pollution, particularly suspended particulate matter with less than 10 or 2.5 µm diameter (PM10 and PM2,5, respectively), plays in cardiorespiratory illness and premature deaths. A report recently published by several international organizations concluded that air pollution is one of the main environmental risk factors, being responsible for around 5 million deaths worldwide every year. One in 10 deaths is caused by air with bad quality. Particulate matter is considered the worst atmospheric pollutant for public health. In 2013, the International Agency for Research on Cancer considered atmospheric particles in outdoor air as a class I, meaning that they are now considered carcinogenic to humans. In cities, traffic is the main emission source of particulate matter. While technological progress and the increase in restrictions for emissions have reduced emissions from motor exhausts, traffic non-exhaust (brake, tire and pavement wear, and road dust resuspension) have emerged as major, but overlooked, contributors to air pollution in urban areas, posing obvious research and policy challenges. In fact, non-exhausts are not regulated and recent estimates indicate that they will represent 90% of total road traffic emissions by 2030. The project of CESAM – Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies - SOPRO – Chemical and toxicological source profiling of particulate matter in urban air, funded by the Fundação Portuguesa para a Ciência e Tecnologia, is a multidisciplinary project that has the collaboration of atmospheric scientists, transport engineers, chemists, toxicologists and modelers from several European institutions, including the University of São Paulo (Brazil). It aims to provide mitigation strategies focused on the main emission sources of pollutants in cities, particularly those associated with the transport sector. Giving the need to characterize the emission of particles by traffic, a concerted strategy will be followed to get the chemical and toxicological characteristics of exhaust and non-exhaust emissions. In addition, for the success of this project, chemical transport models will be applied to forecast the atmospheric concentrations of several pollutants in Brazilian and Portuguese cities, by incorporating the new emission profiles and updated inventories and considering different emission and climate change scenarios, and air pollution control policies.   The team of the project SOPRO

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CESAM/FCUL member report in Science the largest mass poisoning event of vultures in the world

Published in 29/10/2020

In a letter published on the 16th October 2020, the PhD student of CESAM/FCUL Mohamed Henriquestogether with international researchers and conservationists, including Bissau Guineans, warn in the journal Science about the world's deadliest intentional vulture poisoning event in the world. It occurred this year in Guinea-Bissau and decimated more than 2,000 jugudés (vultures of the species Necrosyrtes monachus), a species Critically Endangered of extinction, according to the IUCN's Red List of Endangered Species. In the beginning of 2020, massive cases of vulture mortality were found in Bafatá and Gabú regions of eastern Guinea-Bissau, and the local population alerted the Guinean authorities responsible for biodiversity conservation and veterinary services. Despite the lack of resources and the added difficulties related to the Covid-19 pandemic, several teams were sent to the field to ascertain the cause of vulture mortality – more than 2,000 individuals, known in the country as jugudés  – an emblematic species for Guineans. Through the prompt reaction of the Director-General for Livestock of Guinea-Bissau, the Public Veterinary Services, the NGO Organization for the Defense of Wetlands (ODZH) and the Institute for Biodiversity and Protected Areas (IBAP), with the support of several national and international experts in the conservation and investigation of vultures, it was quickly perceived that this was an environmental crime. Vultures have been intencionally poisoned to remove their heads to feed the illegal trade related to the use of various parts of their body (heads, wings, nails and paws) in sorcery practices in several West African countries. According to Mohamed Henriques, a Luso-Guinean PhD student of the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon and first author of the article, "hundreds of corpses of these vultures were headless, stacked and intentionally hidden under bushes." Suspicions of intentional poisoning were later confirmed by the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Lisbon, through the necropsies performed on some corpses collected at the site. "Toxicology analyses have unequivocally shown that the cause of death was methiocarb poisoning, an insecticide sold under the trade name mesurol, which is, among other uses, often applied as slug/snail control and was recently banned in Europe due to its toxicity to wildlife," says José Pedro Tavares, Director of the Vulture Conservation Foundation, one of the co-authors of this article. Several locals also confirmed that individuals were sighted placing poisoned baits to attract vultures. In the letter to thejournal Science, the authors warn that the use of poisons accounts for 30% of vulture deaths on the African continent, and that in West Africa, in just 30 years, 60 to 70% of the populations of the various vulture species have disappeared. "The Jugudé is classified as Critically Endangered of Extinction on the Red List of Endangered Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the last category before the extinction level. Guinea-Bissau is home to more than one fifth of the world's population of this species, and is currently one of the most important countries for the conservation of the species worldwide," says another of the authors, Paulo Catry, researcher and assistant professor at MARE/ISPA-Instituto Universitário. In the now published letter it is highlighted that this catastrophic event represents the disappearance of more than 1% of the world's population of this species. According to Mohamed Henriques, "in vast regions of Africa, vultures play an essential role for humans and for the functioning of ecosystems. In Guinea-Bissau, as well as in much of West Africa, Jugudés are responsible for eliminating a large part of the organic waste in the country's cities and towns, constituting authentic sanitary brigades and maintaining the streets clean. Its role is thus decisive in preventing the proliferation of diseases and their possible transmission vectors, such as street dogs and rats that feed on urban waste. Without these vultures, public health could be at serious risk." The authors end the letter with a strong call for attention, warning that this is a severe blow to the conservation of vultures, and that urgent intervention is needed. Awareness-raising actions about the importance of vulture conservation among local communities and national authorities, the need to enforce and strengthen laws against wildlife poisoning and the much needed increased control of national and cross-border illegal trade of vulture body parts and other animals for traditional medicine are among the actions identified as priorities. To the international community, the authors point out the responsibility of supporting African countries to develop and implement conservation plans to prevent the extinction of these birds, while it is still possible. The letter can be read here. [Image: Necrosyrtes monachus by Ana Coelho]

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Researchers of CESAM/UA author a study for the European Union on the impacts of plastic and microplastics in the environment

Published in 29/10/2020

The study was commissioned by the Policy Department for Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs of the European Parliament at the request of the Committee on Petitions (PETI). The basis for this document is the increasing use of plastics and the growing general consensus on the ecotoxicological effects of these materials. The study also focuses on potential mitigation strategies and emergent alternatives, as well astheir environmental adequacy. The increasing awareness and public opinion pressure led to the elaboration of several norms, regulations and laws. Their implementation and efficacy are addressed in this study, aiming at an adequate contextualization, based on scientific evidences, of future legislative initiatives at the local, national, regional, and, ultimately, European levels. The document is authored by the CESAM/UA researchers João Pinto da Costa, Teresa Rocha-Santos and Armando Duarte, and is publicly available here.

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A paper co-authored by a CESAM researcher was highlighted in ICES JMS as an ‘Editor’s Choice’

Published in 28/10/2020

The paper ‘State of art and best practices for fatty acid analysis in aquatic sciences’, co-authored by Elisabete da Costa from the research group of CESAM-UA, Marine Biotechnology & Aquaculture (MBA), was the latest selected Editor’s Choice article from the ICES Journal of Marine Sciencededicated to fatty acid analysis in aquatic sciences. This paper reviewed the current state of knowledge of methods for both marine and freshwater lipid analyses, from sampling to data treatment, provides recommendations for best practices in field situations, and advocate for protocol standardization and inter-laboratory calibration. The review was the outcome of a technical workshop held during the international conference Lipids in the Ocean (Brest, France, November 2018), in which authors of the manuscript took part.  

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New project: WaderTrack – high precision tracking system of waders

Published in 27/10/2020

The project WaderTrack started earlier in October, in the the Tagus Estuary Nature Reserve , aimed at implementing a high precision spatio-temporal tracking system for priority wader species. Innovative technologies, specifically small ultra-light GPS/UHF transmitters with micro solar panels (weighing 4 to 5 grams) will be temporarily attached to selected wader species, to map their movements throughout the tidal cycle and across the winter months with unprecedented detail, thus allowing us to: (1) quantify the level of connectivity between intertidal habitats (used as prime feeding areas during low tide) and supratidal habitats (used for resting and roosting during high tide), (2) determine distances travelled between supratidal and intertidal locations; and (3) determine the variation in the use of supratidal habitats during diurnal and nocturnal high-tide periods. This information will fill knowledge gaps on these priority wader species, in order to improve their conservation status by informing biodiversity conservation policy, specifically through reducing current and future eminent threats in the short- and medium-term. Within the framework of WaderTrack, three wader marking sessions were already conducted in different high-tide roosting sites, which resulted in the deployment of transmitters in 15 waders from three species. These devices will record GPS locations at 30-45 min intervals, and this information will be transmitted to receiver stations placed in the high-tide roost, when waders move to these sites during each high-tide. The receiver stations have already been installed and we look forward to get the first data very soon, which will allow to know in very high detail the movements of these birds inextricably linked to the Tagus estuary. Follow updates on this and other projects in @eco_flyway (Twitter).

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Alert of researchers of CESAM-UA for the impact of fishing garbage in sea birds

Published in 27/10/2020

Marine garbage, especially discarded or lost material from fishing activities, has severe consequences for the conservation of sea birds. The alert comes from a group of biologists from the University of Aveiro (UA) who, for ten years, studied the causes that led thousands of injured or dead birds to the rehabilitation center for marine animals that operates on the central coast of Portugal. The research was led by CESAm members working in ECOMARE. The complete news can be read here.

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Documentary “Lousada -Reencontro com a Natureza” wins public prize

Published in 22/10/2020

[Content only available in Portuguese] O documentário “Lousada -Reencontro com a Natureza” nomeado para prémio do público de Melhor Documentário no ART & TUR - International Tourism Film Festival 2020, venceu o primeiro lugar com 1905 votos. O documentário está também nomeado, nos prémios atribuídos pelo Júri, que serão anunciados na próxima sexta feira. Transmitido no dia 22 de Março, pelo canal de televisão SIC, o documentário “Lousada - Reencontro com a Natureza” foi visto por cerca de 700 mil pessoas, merecendo o destaque no site da SIC (http://www.sic.pt/.../2020-03-22-Documentario-Vida...). O  CESAM é o parceiro científico deste documentário e a maioria dos biólogos envolvidos neste projeto fez a sua formação na Universidade de Aveiro. As filmagens do documentário, com 45 minutos de duração, demoraram cerca de 18 meses e mais de 800 horas de filmagens. Joaquim Pedro Ferreira, investigador do CESAM, partilha a autoria deste documentário com Manuel Nunes e Milene Matos e a realização com Pedro Miguel Ferreira.

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CESAM organizes the final meeting of the COST Action Alien CSI

Published in 6/5/2022

From 4 to 7 May 2022, the University of Aveiro receives 50 researchers from the 38 countries participating in the COST Action Alien CSI. The final meeting of the COST Action and the workshops, organized by the Center for Environmental and Marine Studies, an associated laboratory of the University of Aveiro, will take place in the Carlos Borrego Amphitheater, in the Department of Environment and Planning. Alien CSI is a research network that seeks to increase the understanding of alien species through citizen science and is funded by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology).  https://alien-csi.eu For the last 4 years this COST Action addressed multidisciplinary research questions in relation to developing and implementing Citizen Science; advancing scientific understanding of Alien Species dynamics while informing decision-making, specifically implementation of technical requirements of relevant legislation such as the EU Regulation 1143/2014 on Invasive Alien Species. We invite the scientific community to attend some of the lectures open to the public. For more information please consult the program.

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CESAM will be present in the Celebration of the V centenary of the trip of Fernão de Magalhães

Published in 26/10/2020

This week is celebrated the V centenary of the trip of Fernão de Magalhães in several locations of Portugal. The researchers of CESAM (Center for Environmental and Marine Studies) of the University of Aveiro, Roberto Martins (Department of Biology) and Irina Gorodetskaya (Department of Physics) will participate in the presentation of the winners of the Research Prize ‘Prémio de Investigação Científica e Desenvolvimento Tecnológico no Âmbito das Comemorações do V Centenário da Viagem de Circum-Navegação’ that will happen on October 21 in Pavilhão do Conhecimento – Centro Ciência Viva, Lisbon. In this event 8 projects funded by FCT-Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia will be presented and recognized counting with the presence of the Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, Manuel Heitor. Two of the approved projects are lead by CESAM-UA: NANOGREEN - Towards a new generation of sustainable nano-based additives for maritime anti-corrosion smart coatings: a multidisciplinary framework within the Atlantic, coordinated by Doctor Roberto Martins, with co-PI Prof. João Tedim (CICECO) and ATLACE - ATLantic interactions via atmospheric water cycle: exploiting a unique dataset from the Antarctic Circumnavigation Expedition for better understanding of clouds and precipitation, coordinated by Doctor Irina Gorodetskaya, with co-PI Doctor Carla Gama. The complete program of the week can be read here. All the program can be seen on streaming in www.magalhaes500.pt. The event can be seen in https://magalhaes500.pt/streaming-do-2o-dia-das-comemoracoes-dos-500-anos-da-passagem-do-estreito-de-magalhaes/.

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Project Cephs and Chefs present in event of valorization of Madeiran products

Published in 20/10/2020

The Cephs and Chefs team from CESAM participated in two events of valorization of Madeiran products. The events took place at the Terreiro Concept restaurant, at Madeira island. The project “Legado” promoted, on October 16th, the “Legado do Peixe” dinner that included 7 gastronomic moments with traditional Madeiran products such as pota, ray, conger, moray, herring, nun, skipjack, mackerel and even Madeira jackfruit and seaweed, in addition to wine degustation and comments by the specialist Nuno Nobre and the chef Carlos Gonçalves. On Saturday, October 17th, World Food Day, an Open Gastronomic Day was carried out to celebrate Madeira's biodiversity in all its ecosystems: farm, rivers, forest and sea. The event included lectures, debates, workshops and tasting products from the 4 ecosystems. More information here.

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Bathymetry data collected in Ria de Aveiro

Published in 20/10/2020

From 28 February to 04 March 2020, the team field of CESAM together with Professor Luís Menezes Pinheiro and some of his students, collected bathymetry data in Ria de Aveiro, more specifically in the North terminal of the Porto de Aveiro. For this, a Kongsberg EM 2040 C multibeam echo sounder transducer installed on the scientific vessel NEREIDE was used. In this way, the University of Aveiro and CESAM promote the integration of the students in specialized fieldwork, ensuring that they execute all the practical tasks to be familiar with Hydrography and Oceanography. within the scope of the CESAM’s competences and aiming to contribute to the creation of a database useful for the scientific community, hydrographic survey was carried out in the main navigation channel, in the mouth in Barra, and in the channels from and to Gafanha da Encarnação Marine. Data are available in the platform ZENODO and will be accessible through CESAM’s webpage – Science to Society.

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Documentary “Lousada -Reencontro com a Natureza” nominated for prize

Published in 19/10/2020

[Content only available in Portuguese] O documentário “Lousada -Reencontro com a Natureza” está nomeado para prémio do público de Melhor Documentário no ART & TUR - International Tourism Film Festival 2020, para o qual todos podem votar! Basta entrar em https://tourfilm-festival.com/votacao-publica-2/ com uma rede social e deixar o seu “like” em DOCUMENTÁRIOS / Lousada. Reencontro com a Natureza. “Lousada. Reencontro com a Natureza” está também nomeado para prémio atribuído pelo Júri do festival Art&tur Viseu 2020, com exibição pública no dia 20 de Outubro às 18h30 no Teatro Viriato em Viseu.  Transmitido no dia 22 de Março, pelo canal de televisão SIC, o documentário “Lousada - Reencontro com a Natureza” foi visto por cerca de 700 mil pessoas, merecendo o destaque no site da SIC (http://www.sic.pt/.../2020-03-22-Documentario-Vida...). O  CESAM é o parceiro científico deste documentário e a maioria dos biólogos envolvidos neste projeto fez a sua formação na Universidade de Aveiro. As filmagens do documentário, com 45 minutos de duração, demoraram cerca de 18 meses e mais de 800 horas de filmagens. Joaquim Pedro Ferreira, investigador do CESAM, partilha a autoria deste documentário com Manuel Nunes e Milene Matos e a realização com Pedro Miguel Ferreira.

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Study of CESAM-FCUL reveals that enigmatic small mammal is bolder and more active in urban environments

Published in 15/10/2020

Although rarely seen, the greater white-toothed shrew (Crocidura russula), a small insectivorous mammal, occurs in the gardens and parks of several European cities, including Lisbon. It was precisely in the Portuguese capital that a recent study detected substantial differences in the behavior and metabolism of urban animals when compared to individuals from natural areas. The study was conducted by an international group of researchers from the Center for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) of the Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Portugal, and from the Adam Mickiewicz University Pozna?, Poland. The results, which will be integrated in Flávio Oliveira's PhD thesis, have already been published in the scientific journal Behavioral Ecology. “The personality tests we applied revealed that shrews in the city exhibit a bolder behavior and are more predisposed to explore an environment unknown to them”, says Flávio Oliveira. This type of urban adaptation is in line with studies carried out in other species, namely birds and insects. The researcher adds “The lack of natural vegetation and the constant external stimuli typical of the urban environment, such as noise and artificial light, make the animals that inhabit here behave bolder in search of food and a place to live.” While the behavioral adaptations were as expected, the analysis of the energy the animals spent gave surprising results. "We were expecting to find a direct correlation between bold and active behaviors with high rates of energy consumption, that is, with a higher metabolic rate" says Sophie von Merten, co-author of the study. "Instead, we found that urban animals have a metabolic rate 37% lower than animals in natural areas", reveals the researcher. The factors that influence the way urban animals use energy are still unknown, but one thing is certain: Considering the relationship between behavior and metabolism, these small animals seem to be adapted to live both on the countryside and in the city. “Contrary to what happens in most animals, shrews seem to adopt an energy allocation strategy. That is, animals with a faster metabolism are more timid and explore their surroundings less, while animals with a slower metabolism are bolder and explore more territory. This way, their energy budget remains relatively constant”, concludes Flávio Oliveira. With the expansion of urban areas, which is expected to continue increasing, more animals will be exposed to such novel habitats. Maria da Luz Mathias, also co-author of the study, comments: “Unfortunately, most species will not be able to adapt to an environment as altered as urban areas. It is therefore essential to continue studying the phenomenon of urban adaptation in all its aspects: ecological, physiological, behavioral, and evolutionary. Our study revealed that the white-toothed shrew can be an important model species to help us understand the fate of species in the face of a global change such as increasing urbanization.”

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Minister of the Sea visit ECOMARE

Published in 13/10/2020

The Minister of the Sea, Ricardo Serrão Santos, and the Director General for Maritime Policy, Helena Vieira, were present yesterday at the University of Aveiro (UA), for one of the three presentation sessions of the National Strategy for the Sea 2021-2030. In this context, the Minister and the Director General visited ECOMARE – Laboratory for Innovation of Marine Biological Resources of University of Aveiro. This visit was accompanied by the Mayor of Ílhavo, Fernando Fidalgo Caçoilo, the Vice-Rector for Research, Innovation and Training in the 3rd cycle of UA, Prof. Doctor Artur Silva, and Doctor Ricardo Calado, responsible by CEPAM – Centre for Extension and Environmental and Marine Research and researcher at CESAM.

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First National Week about Invasive Species (SNEI) is coming!

Published in 7/10/2020

The first ever National Week about Invasive Species (SNEI) in Portugal will be taking place between 10th and 18th of October. More than 90 activities are being prepared around Portugal for the whole community to engage. CESAM – Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies and Department of Biology of University of Aveiro is promoting several activities. Visit the website and select an activity near you to participate! CESAM-UA & DBio activities may be consulted here. More info at the website SNEI: https://www.invasoras.pt/pt/semana_nacional_especies_invasoras_2020 List of activities SNEI (being updated): https://www.invasoras.pt/pt/actividades-em-portugal Social media: https://www.facebook.com/InvasorasPt & https://www.instagram.com/invasoraspt/

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CESAM-UA researcher leads international effort to understand species distribution across chemosynthesis-based ecosystems

Published in 7/10/2020

MACROCHESS – A Macroecological Database for Species Distribution across Chemosynthesis-Based Ecosystems is a new database incorporating over a decade of new discoveries and the most recent taxonomic knowledge of species occurring in chemosynthesis-based-ecosystems (CBEs). The database is being compiled by a working group funded by the International Cooperation in Ridge-Crest Studies – InterRidge. The group is chaired by Lissette Victorero (Norwegian Institute of Water Research and CESAM-UA) and comprises 17 experts from ten countries and four continents working on hydrothermal vents, seeps and organic falls across a wide variety of disciplines. This database will enable characterising the global distribution, composition and relationship of species occurring in CBEs at both global and regional scales and hence aims to rapidly advance theoretical research and conservation efforts.

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Testing and demonstrating post-fire emergency stabilization in CESAM-UA projects

Published in 7/10/2020

A major concern after the smoke has cleared is often the risk of post-fire soil erosion, because of its possible consequences in terms of additional on-site land degradation due to soil (fertility) losses as well as of downstream flooding and contamination of surface water bodies with eroded soil, including wildfire ash. UA Online explains how the projects  Epyris (Interreg Sudoe) and LIFE REFOREST are testing and demonstrating the application of various emergency stabilization measures in burnt areas. The team of CESAM-UA in both projects is coordinated by the researcher Jan Jacob Keizer.  The complete article available here.

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