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Three new European projects have recently been launched, in which CESAM is involved. These projects represent a commitment to research and environmental preservation, addressing a variety of challenges related to biodiversity and the conservation of natural ecosystems.

The “Mariculture for Rewilding Subtidal Seagrass Meadows in the Ria de Aveiro” project began on September 1, 2023, and will run for a duration of 7 years. The overall coordinator of this project is CESAM/DBio researcher João Pedro Coelho, and the project has a total funding of €3,426,795.91.

The project “REWRITE – REWilding and Restoration of Intertidal Sediment Ecosystems for Carbon Sequestration, Climate Adaptation, and Biodiversity Support” also commenced on September 1 of this year and will run for 5 years. CESAM is a partner in this project, coordinated at the University of Aveiro by researcher Ana Sousa, with a total funding of €7,932,116.48.

Finally, the “LIFE Godwit Flyway – Conservation of the Black-tailed Godwit Along the Migration Route” project started on July 1, 2023, and will run for more than 7 years. CESAM is a partner in this project, with José Alves (CESAM/DBio) as the responsible researcher at the University of Aveiro. This project has received total funding of €794,261.00.

We eagerly anticipate learning about the results and impact of these projects.

On the 19th and 20th of October, the meeting that marked the beginning of the LIFE SeagrassRIAwild project took place, coordinated by the researcher from CESAM, Pedro Coelho.

This event was held in the Academic Hall at the University of Aveiro’s Rectorate building and was attended by various consortium members, which includes Portuguese, Spanish, and German research centers, companies, and NGOs.

Soon, at CESAM, we will have exclusive content for you to get to know this project better.

Rita Torres, a researcher from CESAM/DBio, in an interview with Jornal de Notícias, discussed road accidents caused by wild animals and revealed that between 2019 and 2020, there were more than 1000 accidents caused by wild boars.

The researcher mentioned that in her research project, “We used data from a 2-year monitoring of road accidents involving wild ungulates (wild boar, deer, and roe deer) to assess the factors influencing the likelihood of accidents in Portugal. A total of 1,306 accidents were recorded (2019 and 2020), involving the three species of wild ungulates with the greatest presence in Portugal. The wild boar was involved in the majority of accidents (83.7%), followed by the deer (9%) and the roe deer (7.3%). Our data, although focused on two years, confirm the results described in the literature, showing that the wild boar is the ungulate species most commonly involved in road accidents on the Iberian Peninsula. This fact is also potentially indicative of its high population density in our country, compared to other ungulate species, with the wild boar being more abundant and widely distributed in mainland Portugal, occupying almost the entire national territory.”

Rita Torres played a crucial role in the development of the Strategic and Action Plan for the Wild Boar, promoted by ICNF – Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests, and also drew attention to the increase in road accidents on weekends, especially on Sundays, as well as in the late afternoons and during the night. During these times, it is essential for drivers to exercise extra caution, particularly in areas characterized by significant forest cover.

Furthermore, her work also indicates that “road planning should take into account land cover to avoid the formation of critical accident spots. Proper forest management along roadsides, reducing vegetation near the road, can decrease the attractiveness of the habitat for wild boars while improving driver visibility, potentially reducing the risk of accidents.”

To read the complete article, click here.

This week, we interviewed researcher José Alves, a member of CESAM (Center for Environmental and Marine Studies) and the Department of Biology at the University of Aveiro. In an informal conversation, we aimed to discover more about his journey while participating in the RTP1 program, “Linha da Frente.” We uncovered the secrets of how he and his team managed to balance the demands of their fieldwork with the filming process. We also explored the researcher’s perspective on the relevance of such programs that bring science to the general public.

The episode of the “Linha da Frente” program, titled “Vou Voar Contigo,” premiered with an audience of around 600,000 viewers in its first broadcast, capturing a 11.7% share. Furthermore, the episode was broadcast on various RTP channels, including RTP Internacional and RTP Açores.

If you want to learn more about the work of this team and get a firsthand look at some details about the filming of this episode, don’t miss our interview.

CESAM: Do you believe that the messages you intended to convey about research work with these species were effectively communicated in the report? Is there anything you would add?

José Alves: The main goal of the report was to convey our findings to the general public, and I believe that was achieved extensively. From the migration of several thousand kilometers without stopping by the sanderling^1,2 to oystercatchers that can spend the winter in Iceland or migrate to other southern countries, with their chicks following their father’s migratory behavior³, and to the black-tailed godwits that respond to climate change by arriving in Iceland earlier each year, but this is done through new generations and not by changing the migratory rhythms of each individual⁴. We have more stories and discoveries to share, but I’d prefer to save those for the next “report.” I’ll emphasize one of the messages with which the report begins: if we don’t take care of these species that are currently in decline, we risk losing biodiversity that unites cultures. These birds depend not only on the conditions in Iceland but also on what they find in their wintering areas, including Portugal. Therefore, their preservation must be based on collaborative efforts; in other words, Iceland can invest millions in their conservation, but if we don’t care for their habitats in Portugal, that investment won’t yield results (and vice versa), potentially leading to the loss of cultural connections maintained by these migratory birds.

CESAM: How did you manage to balance fieldwork with the needs of the filming team?

José Alves: The RTP team spent about 10 days in Iceland, and during that time, they were in the field every day, following our work, which, in addition to me, was carried out this summer by João Belo, Afonso Rocha, and Camilo Carneiro. Since we knew that we would have to dedicate several hours to filming during those days, we invested heavily in the fieldwork before their arrival and prepared the events we wanted to show and film, which would support the narrative of our scientific results. For example, we found and monitored nests/families of the three species at different stages of development: in full incubation, near hatching, and with older chicks. It may sound like a small thing, but to give you an idea, black-tailed godwit nests are extremely difficult to find, and in a good year, you might find about 20 over two months of daily fieldwork. Some of these nests are inevitably predated, leaving an even smaller number available, so this year required a doubled effort, led by Afonso and João, focused on the species. This resulted in an exceptionally high number of nests. This allowed us to film adults sitting on eggs (and some being captured), eggs hatching, and newly hatched chicks, as well as chicks that can be marked with color or code rings, respectively. This is clearly visible in the case of the oystercatcher, where all these images made it into the final report, even though it was not the case for the other species. On the other hand, since our fieldwork takes place in different locations in Iceland, we alternated between locations and species on different days, with only one day where all four of us were together. On other days, RTP accompanied the work with one species, leaving other members of our team free to carry out fieldwork without the cameras and microphones “getting in the way.”

CESAM: To what extent do you consider initiatives like this important? At the end of the episode, you called on the public to participate in your research. What expectations do you have regarding this participation?

José Alves: These opportunities are extremely important! In addition to the reasons already mentioned, they also help the general public understand why it is important to invest in research and allocate public funds to the study of biodiversity. One of the pillars of universities (in addition to teaching and research) is to interact with society and contribute to making it more informed and knowledgeable about the world around it. In this regard, delivering the results of scientific work to the public is part of our mission as researchers. In my view, this is even more relevant when it comes to the loss of biodiversity, which is consistently one of the most exceeded indicators in all three assessments of the safe operating space for humanity⁵. The greatest factors leading to biodiversity loss are of human origin, either directly (habitat loss due to anthropogenic activities) or indirectly (climate change resulting from the use of fossil fuels). Therefore, raising awareness in society that these absolutely fascinating species are declining and could disappear may contribute to changing behaviors and thus reducing current threats to biodiversity. On the other hand, extending an invitation to society to become “citizen scientists” also brings the public closer to these species and can help change perceptions. The expectation is that this participation will increase, particularly in Portugal, where it is very low, and thus become a significant percentage of the hundreds of emails we receive with records of color ring combinations in various species of wader birds, sent by the public along the entire migratory route.

CESAM: Thank you very much for your participation in this interview. The work carried out by you and your CESAM team demonstrates how science and outreach can collaborate to preserve our biodiversity.

If you haven’t seen it yet, the program is available on RTP Play here.

References:

1. https://www.nature.com/articles/srep38154
2. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jav.01938
3. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-81274-9
4. https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2013.2161
5. https://expresso.pt/sustentabilidade/ambiente/2023-09-13-A-Terra-esta-agora-bem-fora-do-espaco-operacional-seguro-para-a-humanidade-planeta-ultrapassou-seis-dos-nove-limites-de-estabilidade-309dc4da

On October 13, a workshop titled “The challenges and needs of forest stakeholders in Portugal” took place, bringing together a group of experts and professionals to discuss crucial issues involving the forest sector in Portugal. This event was organized by a team composed of Bruna Oliveira, Researcher at CESAM/DAO and Coordinator of the ModelEco project, Helena Vieira, Researcher Coordinator at CESAM/DAO and ERA Chair Holder of the BESIDE project, and Sofia Corticeiro, Junior Researcher at CESAM/DAO and Coordinator of the FireProd project.

The workshop was organized in a practical working meeting format, with a focus on two main objectives: identifying challenges, information needs, and data needs in the forestry sector and fostering closer collaboration between academia and stakeholders in the value chain of this sector.

During the event, interactive group exercises were conducted, and representatives from various entities in the forestry sector identified over 110 challenges and information and scientific data needs. The CESAM teams will now delve into this information and develop proposals for solutions/projects to address them, culminating in the production of a report and an executive summary that will be presented to the participants in a second session on February 22, 2024. This initiative also fostered a closer relationship between academics at the University of Aveiro working on diverse topics such as Socioeconomic Sciences and Environmental Sciences, who can provide support for the challenges and decision-making processes, and the invited entities representing the entire value chain and the different types of stakeholders involved in the forest management and exploitation value chain in Portugal.

In addition to the working sessions, the workshop provided a moment for spontaneous and informal networking and sharing during the lunch held at the University of Aveiro’s restaurant. Participants had the opportunity to exchange ideas and strengthen professional connections.

This event once again demonstrated the commitment of our researchers to address the challenges of forest management in Portugal and promote effective collaboration between academics and stakeholders in the sector. The expectation is that the results of this workshop will help guide future actions in Portugal’s forestry sector and strengthen the connection between CESAM and the University and the forest sector in Portugal.

Learn more about these projects here:

BESIDE, ModelEco e FirEProd.

Today, on October 13, Edna Correia, a researcher from CESAM/FCUL, was featured on the “90 seconds of science” program on Antena 1.

During the interview, the researcher shared some details about her work and explained that her goal was to study the trophic interactions between seabirds and predatory fish in the Bijagós Archipelago, Guinea-Bissau. The results obtained so far have led to the conclusion that there are significant variations in the behavior of different bird species regarding their need to associate with predatory fish for feeding. However, a common prey item was identified in their diets – a pelagic fish from the sardine family. This relative of the sardine (Sardinella maderensis) plays a central role in the ecosystem’s functioning and is crucial for its stability.

The knowledge gained through the researcher’s work can guide the development of protective measures aimed at preserving this fish and the species that depend on it, thereby avoiding the risks of ecosystem collapse.

Don’t miss the full program here.

According to a recent study conducted by Stanford University in partnership with the publishing group Elsevier, the Center for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) made its mark with 17 of its researchers among the most influential in the world in 2022. This study, conducted annually, evaluated a large group of approximately 210,000 researchers in the category of “most impactful researchers in 2022” and 205,000 researchers in the category of “most influential and impactful throughout their career.”

Among this remarkable group, CESAM includes the following members: Adelaide Almeida, Alisa Rudnitskaya, Amadeu M. Soares, Ana L. Patrício Silva, Armando C. Duarte, Artur Alves, Bruno Nunes, Célia A. Alves, Celine Justino, David Carvalho, João Pinto da Costa, Maria do Rosário Domingues, Miguel Oliveira, Mónica J.B. Amorim, Ricardo Calado, Rosa Freitas, Teresa Rocha Santos.

The recognition of these CESAM researchers highlights the impact of their scientific contributions on the international stage. The Coordinator of CESAM, Professor Amadeu Soares, notes that “this is another methodology that emphasizes the quality of CESAM. With other parameters of analysis, such as the impact of CESAM on public policies, both national and community-based, other CESAM researchers would undoubtedly appear. So, congratulations to all!”

The study, titled “Elsevier Data Repository,” aims to standardize indicators related to the most cited researchers. This standardization is crucial as it normalizes citation data for each author. Some of the parameters used in this study include the ‘h-index,’ which quantifies an author’s productivity and impact based on their most cited articles; the ‘hm-index,’ adjusted for co-authorship, which quantifies the fractional counting of the most cited articles; citations of articles in different authorship positions; and finally, the composite indicator (c-score), whose main goal is to promote measures against self-citation.

Susana Loureiro, a researcher at CESAM/DBio and a member of the Global Soil Interest Group of SETAC – Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, is a co-author of the text “A Pathway to Effective Soil Protection in Europe.” This text resulted from the soil session held during the 33rd Annual Meeting of SETAC Europe in Dublin, Ireland, along with Pia Kotschik and Silvia Pieper (German Environment Agency) and Claudia Lima from Wageningen University. The full text can be read here.

This meeting highlighted the need for better soil protection, given its crucial role in food production, the supply of drinking water, and support for biodiversity. Additionally, the Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive was mentioned as an important step toward soil protection, setting the goal of achieving 100% healthy soils by 2050. However, the current proposal for soil pollution assessment does not consider the effects of the presence of multiple contaminants on soil communities, posing an unknown threat to soil biodiversity.

Participants in the 33rd SETAC annual meeting discussed the importance of setting values for multiple contaminants and recognizing the effects and toxicity of chemical mixtures in the soil. However, there are still challenges in risk assessment due to the complexity of chemical mixtures and a lack of data. It was also established that, for these goals to be achieved, the collaboration of various stakeholders is necessary, including the agricultural sector and the implementation of sustainable practices to reduce chemical pollution of the soil.

In this context, at the next SETAC Europe conference to be held in May 2024 in Seville, Spain, Susana Loureiro will be responsible for a session on Soil Functions and Biodiversity: Impacts and Resilience under Environmental Stress, along with Chioma Chikere (University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria) and Maria Nazaret González (Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Spain). The call for abstracts is open until November 29, 2023.

On October 12, Amadeu Soares, the scientific coordinator of CESAM, participated in the roundtable discussion of UA Associated Laboratories, which took place at the Vista Alegre Museum in Ílhavo as part of the CICECO 2023 conference.

During the session, chaired by Professor João Rocha, Amadeu Soares emphasized that the idea presented, which he fully supports, of creating an informal group of UA Associated Laboratories is part of his strategic program. He could not agree more. Additionally, these meetings should serve as a space for reflection and decision support regarding UA’s scientific needs and policies, complementing the meetings of all existing research units promoted by the university’s rectorate.

Text by: CESAM

RESTORE4Cs was presented in EuroGEO 2023, which was held in person and online on 2 – 4 October 2023, at Eurac Research in Bolzano, Italy. RESTORE4Cs’ project coordinator, Ana Lillebø (University of Aveiro), presented the project on 3 October, first with an e-poster presentation at Foyer 123, from 15:45 – 16:30, and then with a panel discussion, moderated by Antonello Provenzale (CNR), focused on “Challenges at the interface between water and ecosystems“, that was held from 16:30 – 18:00, during the session “Biodiversity, ecosystems and geodiversity – interfaces in terms of initiative and scientific areas“.

Programme available here.

EuroGEO Workshop 2023

EuroGEO brings together and coordinates activities in Europe that contribute to the initiatives of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO). GEO is at a crossroad with defining its post-25 strategy (currently under public consultation) which is planned to be adopted in November 2023 at the GEO ministerial summit in Cape Town, South Africa. The new strategy moves from “Earth observation” to “Earth Intelligence” and shifts the focus from services to equity to bridge the global information gaps.

This year’s EuroGEO workshop offered the chance to position European initiatives in the light of the new GEO strategy and promotes the coordination and interlinking of initiatives at the national and European levels, as well as across sectors and domains, in order to produce contributions to GEO that are pertinent and significant.

The objectives of the workshop were to:

• Position EuroGEO with view to the new GEO strategy;
• Identify and exploit synergies across national and EU projects and initiatives;
• Support a nexus approach to address the triple pollution-climate-biodiversity crises;
• Create a dialogue among scientists, policy makers and end-users to support the co-design of EO based tools, knowledge, and policies.

More info about EuroGEO Workshop 2023 available here.

Author: Communication Team of Restore4Cs