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The study by our researcher Paulo Baganha (CESAM/DGEO), part of a consortium led by the European Space Agency (ESA), has been featured in national media. This program, launched by ESA to monitor European coastal erosion from space, is coordinated in Portugal by the University of Aveiro (UA).

As Paulo Baganha stated in a press release, “trends of shoreline retreat are evident in many European coastal areas.” In Portugal, for example, the sandy stretch between Óbidos Lagoon and Baleal Beach is retreating at a rate of about 2.1 meters per year. Along the Costa da Caparica, the beach shoreline is receding by around 2.5 meters per year. The rates of coastline retreat between Troia and Sines and various points along the Algarve coast are also concerning. These are some of the national coastal erosion points detected by the “Space for Shore” program.

For four years, over 70 scientific and coastal management organizations from the six member countries of the program (France, Germany, Portugal, Greece, Romania, and Norway) shared their concerns and expressed the need for regular data and information to characterize coastal dynamics, assess the evolution of erosion risk, and the vulnerability of coastal areas to climate change. This work covered 4,500 kilometers of coastline in these six countries, from the Mediterranean and Black Sea coasts, through the Atlantic-Channel-Manche-North Sea coasts, to the Arctic (Svalbard Archipelago).

For each of the European countries participating in this study, Paula Baganha points out, “several indicators of coastal erosion were produced, including the maximum wash-up line, the baseline of the dune, the position of the base and crest of rocky cliffs.” Climate change, increased severity and persistence of storms, and the general trend of rising sea levels seem to anticipate concerning scenarios of coastal erosion if concerted mitigation policies are not adopted.

However, “despite the erosive trend in most of the Portuguese coast, it is observed that, in certain locations, measures taken by coastal managers show positive results, such as in Nazaré or the beaches south of Costa da Caparica,” points out Paulo Baganha Baptista.

The end of funding for this project by the European Space Agency does not mean that indicators of coastal erosion will cease to be generated. Paula Baganha reminds us that “the provision of dedicated services for the entire national territory, in nearly real-time, of the various coastal erosion indicators considered in this project, for which specific algorithms have been developed for automatic calculation, is being studied for the community of users interested in coastal management.”

Text by: CESAM based on content from the University of Aveiro

In addition to our researcher Sara Peixoto (CESAM/DBIO), researchers Andreia Pereira (University of Porto), Joana Sacramento (Nova University of Lisbon), and Raquel Boia (University of Coimbra) were also awarded the L’Oréal Portugal Honorary Medals for Women in Science 2022. Each of these scientists will receive 15,000 euros to further develop their research projects.

As Sara Peixoto states to CESAM’s communication: “For me, receiving this award is very gratifying and signifies recognition for the work I have developed in recent years. This award is also a great incentive to continue in science and to carry out research in the area I intend to pursue in the future. As an early-career researcher, the Women in Science initiative promoted by L’Oréal will also help me raise awareness among different audiences about the problem associated with the need to develop and use more sustainable strategies to promote the conservation of terrestrial ecosystems. In fact, minimizing the environmental impact associated with the degradation of agricultural and forest soils is extremely relevant and in the interest of the general public, as it can have direct consequences for human health and quality of life.”

Sara Peixoto’s work is related to the recovery of degraded soils. Degradation can have various causes, but two of its major destroyers are wildfires and intensive agriculture. Sara Peixoto seeks to protect these soils using biostimulants – products with microorganisms that increase the availability of nutrients in the soil, improve its fertility, and help it resist environmental pressures such as wildfires.

This award is the result of a joint initiative by the cosmetics company L’Oréal Portugal, which funds the grants, the National Commission for UNESCO, and the Foundation for Science and Technology, which appoints the jury that evaluates the applications. This year, the jury was chaired by Alexandre Quintanilha.

These awards, given annually to four female researchers aged between 31 and 35, aim to promote the participation of women in science by encouraging young and promising scientists at the beginning of their careers to pursue advanced studies in the fields of health or environmental sciences, engineering, and technology.

Text by: CESAM based on information from LUSA and PÚBLICO

This Tuesday, May 9th, the researcher from CESAM/DAO, Teresa Nunes, participated in the program “Sociedade Civil” on RTP2 to discuss the topic of air pollution. During her participation, the expert addressed various topics related to air pollution, such as chemical composition, particle size in the air, and the different effects on human health. She emphasized the importance of understanding the sources and processes involved in order to more effectively manage air quality and ecosystem health.

The discussion of this topic, which included Teresa Nunes’ participation, was an important contribution to raising public awareness about the risks of air pollution and the need for effective solutions to minimize its impact on the environment and human health.

From left to right: Prof. Amadeu Soares (CESAM), Dr. Jorge de Sampayo, Consul-General of Portugal in Cape Town, his wife Mariana de Sampayo, and Dr. Joaquim Ferreira (CESAM) Credits: CESAM

The documentary “ECOMARE – Research and Rescue of Marine Species,” co-produced by CESAM and Play Solutions – Audiovisual Productions, won the first prize (Gold Award) in the Wildlife – Ocean and Forests category at the International Tourism Film Festival Africa (ITFFA).

The festival took place from May 2nd to 6th in Cape Town, South Africa. This is the fifth edition of a festival that has received over 3000 submissions from 97 different countries since its first edition. This year, nearly 4000 audiovisual contents from 59 countries were in competition, and 378 contents from 59 different countries were accepted for the competitive phase.

This documentary portrays the daily life of ECOMARE, Laboratory for Innovation and Sustainability of Marine Biological Resources at the University of Aveiro. It’s a facility located in Gafanha da Nazaré, unique at the national level, combining marine science research with a center for research and rehabilitation of marine animals.

Produced for RTP (Rádio e Televisão de Portugal) as part of the consultation of audiovisual content with production companies, this documentary premiered in October 2022 on RTP 1 and was subsequently broadcasted on RTP Internacional and RTP África.

According to Professor Amadeu Soares, current Coordinator of CESAM and co-founder of the concept and the first responsible for Ecomare, this international recognition holds multiple meanings: “It attests to the quality of CESAM’s communication and outreach team and demonstrates the success of the strategic alliance between CESAM and the production company, Play Solutions Audiovisual.”

He also highlights that “the award is given for the production quality, script, and content of the documentary about the Ecomare facility, 15 years after presenting the initial idea to the then university administration. ECOMARE, which obviously wouldn’t exist without the University of Aveiro’s investment, initiated in 2008 and 2009 by Vice-Rectors Francisco Vaz and Fernando Tavares Rocha, and the university leadership of Prof. Helena Nazaré, to whom I pay tribute. Without their courage, investment, and encouragement for the idea and concept I presented to them as the Director of the Department of Biology, the Ecomare project would not have been subject to an application to the Operational Program of the Center 2007-2013, in partnership with Mayor José Ribau Esteves and Administrator José Luis Cacho of the time, respectively, as well as the heartfelt support of then-president of CCDRC, Ana Abrunhosa. At the university, support was later continued by Prof. Manuel Assunção’s administration, also represented by Vice-Rectors José Alberto Rafael and José Fernando Mendes. And, let’s not forget, it had all the enthusiasm and support of the late colleague and friend José Vingada, responsible for SPVS, to whom we dedicate this documentary.”

He continues, “The sustainability and reason for this project, which at one point had the support of Lisbon’s Oceanarium, are proven by its current success, both in the CPRAM-Center for the Research and Rehabilitation of Marine Animals, where more fundamental research is conducted, the results of which were crucial for the strengthening and creation of some Marine Protected Areas, and in the service it still provides to the Portuguese State. It’s also successful in the CEPAM-Center for Extension and Research in Aquaculture and Sea, where more applied research related to aquaculture is conducted, currently managed by Dr. Catarina Eira and Dr. Ricardo Calado, respectively, who were wisely appointed by the current administration of the University of Aveiro.”

Dr. Joaquim Pedro Ferreira, co-responsible for developing the script, notes that “by winning this award, the documentary will be viewed in South Africa and many other countries, African and non-African, taking the name of Ecomare, CESAM, and of course, the University of Aveiro, further.”

Professor Amadeu Soares concludes “that watching this documentary allows one to see the variety and quality of research in the field of Marine Biological Resources, carried out by the extensive team of CESAM researchers.”

The documentary “ECOMARE – Research and Rescue of Marine Species” can be viewed in its entirety here.

Michael Russo and Ana Ascenso, CESAM/DAO PhD students, have recently received scholarships from the Luso-American Foundation for Development (FLAD). These scholarships aim to internationalize the scientific knowledge produced in Portugal by supporting the presentation of the work of researchers based in Portugal in the United States.

In these presentations, Michael Russo (CESAM/DAO) will address the impact of maritime transport emissions on air quality in Europe in the present and under climate change scenarios. Meanwhile, Ana Ascenso (CESAM/DAO) will focus on nature-based solutions for mitigating temperature rise and improving air quality. Both research projects aim to contribute to the scientific advancement in the fields of environment and climate change.

You can learn more about FLAD scholarships here.

Text by: CESAM

From July 5th to 7th, 2023, the annual science and technology meeting in Portugal will take place at the University of Aveiro, with the theme “Science and Ocean Beyond the Horizon.” The researcher Helena Vieira (CESAM/DAO) and holder of the ERA CHAIR BESIDE Chair at the University of Aveiro is the commissioner of the event.

This year’s edition, as stated by the commissioner on the event’s website, “holds particular importance for all of us as a milestone of change: It will be the first meeting outside the capital city, and the chosen city is the beautiful city of Aveiro, surrounded by multiple waters where science is an unquestionable pillar of development; It is also, for the first time, a thematic meeting, focusing on the ocean and waters, their intrinsic connections and mutual impact, but above all, on the role of science in all its fullness of contributions to know, explore, and also protect the true lung of this planet.”

This annual event is promoted by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and Ciência Viva – National Agency for Science and Technology Culture. It has the institutional support of the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Higher Education, through Minister Elvira Fortunato, and the Assembly of the Republic through the Education and Science Committee.

The official program of plenary sessions includes, among many others, the presence of Ministers Elvira Fortunato (Ministry of Science, Technology, and Higher Education), Maria do Céu Antunes (Ministry of Agriculture and Food), and Diana Morant (Minister of Science and Innovation of Spain).

While the program for these sessions is still being finalized, it also includes two other CESAM researchers, Cristina Pita (CESAM/DAO) and Luís Menezes Pinheiro (CESAM/DGEO) (subject to confirmation).

The program, registration, and other information are available here.

Text by: CESAM based on information from the official event website

The MSCA Doctoral Networks aim to train entrepreneurial, innovative, and resilient doctoral candidates capable of tackling current and future challenges and converting knowledge and ideas into products and services for economic and social benefit. There are three different implementation modes: Standard Doctoral Networks (DNs), Joint Doctorates (JDs), and Industrial Doctorates (IDs).

The project outcomes are expected to contribute to the following results:

For supported doctoral candidates:

• New transferable research skills leading to enhanced employability and career prospects both within and outside academia.
• New knowledge enabling the conversion of ideas into products and services, where relevant.
• Networking and communication abilities with peers and the general public, increasing and broadening the impact of research and innovation.

For participating organizations:

• Improved quality, relevance, and sustainability of doctoral training programs and supervision arrangements.
• Strengthened cooperation and knowledge transfer across sectors and disciplines.
• Enhanced integration of training and research activities among participating organizations.
• Reinforced R&D capacity.
• Increased internationalization and attractiveness.
• Regular feedback of research outcomes to teaching and education in participating organizations.

Information session: June 14, 2023.

Registrations are open here.

This will be an online event, starting with a welcome message and introductory remarks, followed by the main presentation of the DN-2023 call updates.

Call opening: May 30, 2023 Deadline: November 28, 2023

Work program available here.

MSCA DN projects involving CESAM participation can be found here.

In the final days of the oceanographic expedition AKMA3, the team of researchers aboard the ship ‘Kronprins Haakon’ discovered a mud volcano in a crater approximately 300 meters in diameter at the bottom of the Barents Sea (Norway). Such mud volcanoes are rare in this Arctic region, with only one other known, the ‘Håkon Mosby’, discovered in 1995.

Aboard this oceanographic expedition, which concluded on May 10, was an international and multidisciplinary team of scientists led by researchers from the Arctic University of Norway in partnership with REV Ocean. As this expedition took place within the framework of the AKMA project – ‘Advancing Knowledge of Methane in the Arctic’, the team on board included representatives from various project partners, including the University of Aveiro, represented by researcher Sofia Ramalho (CESAM/DBIO), who was also the only Portuguese onboard.

Professor Giuliana Panieri, the expedition leader, along with Stefan Buenz, and AKMA project coordinator, stated in a press release from the Arctic University of Norway, “We do not exclude the possibility of discovering other mud volcanoes in the Barents Sea. However, it is only through collaborative work and advanced technologies that these results can be achieved. Witnessing this underwater mud volcano erupting live reminds me of how alive our planet is.”

According to the same press release, mud volcanoes are peculiar structures that predominantly emit “water and sediment from hundreds of meters to several kilometers deep in the ocean crust, providing a window into the Earth’s interior and past environments.” This volcano continuously releases methane-rich fluids and sits within a crater formed by one or multiple explosions that occurred after the glacial period 18,000 years ago.

As mentioned by researcher Sofia Ramalho (CESAM/DBIO) to CESAM Communication from Norway, “There is still much to discover about the ecology of these Arctic habitats, especially considering the potential cumulative impacts of human activities in this region along with the observed climate changes.” Her work is specifically linked to the biodiversity of communities associated with cold seeps in the Arctic (in which these types of volcanoes are included).

Various locations were sampled during this expedition, but according to Sofia Ramalho, “we were not specifically looking for this volcano, but rather for cold seeps that can take many forms in geological terms.” Cold seeps are habitats that harbor a high biomass of specialized organisms dependent on various forms of primary production resulting from chemosynthesis. “Benefitting from high local productivity, the space adjacent to this volcano, unlike what is often found in other investigated Arctic areas, also hosts a high diversity and density of animals, such as sponges, corals, and fish.” In the newly discovered location, the Portuguese researcher collected sediment samples from this crater to study meiofauna, “or rather, nematodes, which are small microscopic marine worms and despite being poorly studied, are among the most abundant and diverse animals found in marine sediments. In addition, samples of macrofauna (e.g., crustaceans, polychaetes) and megafauna (e.g., sponges, starfish) were also collected for the study of the trophic chain in these areas.”

In addition to all the scientific work produced, the researchers on board also engaged in scientific outreach activities with Portuguese schools. As Sofia Ramalho notes, “we were connected to Portuguese schools for almost the entire cruise, a school from Azurva, a school from my hometown in Mora, and another school from Loulé (…) that had video calls and saw the REV Ocean ROV Aurora [Remotely Operated Vehicle] in action on the seabed live.”

Image credits: UiT/AKMA3

Text by: CESAM with collaboration from Sofia Ramalho (CESAM/DBIO)

On May 12th, the new 70 approved COST Actions in the latest call (2022) were announced. Cristina Pita (CESAM/DBIO) is the proposer of one of these actions, the COST Action “Rethinking the Blue Economy: Socio-Ecological Impacts and Opportunities”, which aims to rethink the blue economy in two distinct ways:

Firstly, by assessing the impact of the blue economy on coastal societies;

Secondly, by exploring opportunities arising from innovations and potential synergies between established and emerging marine activities. Scientific interactions focus on five themes: 1) maritime professions; 2) food security and sustainable blue consumption; 3) port cities and coastal communities; 4) fisheries governance and emerging activities; and 5) climate change and natural hazards.

On June 9th, the new COST actions, including all memoranda of understanding, will be available on the COST website, and the first Management Committee meetings will start between September and November 2023.

Text by: CESAM with collaboration from Cristina Pita

What are the most suitable areas in Ria de Alvor for bivalve and gilt-head seabream aquaculture in the face of climate change? A research team from the Center for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) at the University of Aveiro (UA) has answered the question raised by many producers in an area particularly sensitive to sea warming and rising water levels. In this scenario, the study warns that bivalve production could be greatly affected.

Located on the Algarve coast, Ria de Alvor currently offers very good conditions for the development of ecological and sustainable aquaculture of seafood and fish. However, unlike other coastal areas, there were no studies evaluating the medium and long-term impact of climate change on the viability of Ria for aquaculture. Until now.

The work of the Estuarine Coastal Modelling Group in the Physics Department at UA, signed by researchers Ana Picado, Humberto Pereira, Magda Sousa, and João Miguel Dias, identifies the most suitable areas, under current conditions and in the context of climate change, for aquaculture cultivation of bivalves such as oysters and mussels, as well as fish, particularly gilt-head seabream. The work was carried out using a numerical model that simulated the main biogeochemical characteristics of this estuarine system.

João Miguel Dias, researcher at DFIS and CESAM and one of the authors of the study, indicates that “this work results from an ongoing research line in the Estuarine Coastal Modelling Group aimed at promoting sustainable growth of aquaculture activity in Portuguese estuarine and lagoon systems.”

This research line emerged with funding obtained through the AquiMap project, which, along with several doctoral theses in this field, resulted in several publications in high-impact indexed scientific journals on the aquaculture potential of Ria de Aveiro, the Sado Estuary, the Rias Baixas, or Ria de Alvor.

According to researcher Ana Picado, also from DFis/CESAM, the results of this research indicate that “the most suitable regions for aquaculture are located along the main channel axis of Ria de Alvor, although there is seasonal variability in the results obtained, depending on the species considered.” During winter and autumn, “bivalves are more susceptible to environmental conditions than fish.” On the other hand, “spring presents the most favorable environmental conditions for the production of the species considered.”

The researcher also highlights that future projections point to “a general decrease in the potential of Ria de Alvor for bivalve species aquaculture production during winter and for mussels during summer, mainly due to the predicted increase in water temperature.” On the other hand, “it is not expected that climate change-induced impacts will affect gilt-head seabream production.”

Text by: Notícias UA online