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Teresa Amaro

Research Assistant

Author Name : Amaro, T.

Researcher ID: G-7033-2011
ORCID: 0000-0002-1995-2808
Ciencia ID: 4413-C7F0-8939
Department: Biology
Research Group: Coastal and Deep-Ocean Ecology & Conservation (CDEC)
ISI Web of KnowledgeSM search factor: Au=(Amaro TPF OR Amaro T) NOT AU=(Araus JL) NOT AD=(Oporto OR USA OR Brazil OR Porto) NOT TS=(carcinomas)

Research interests

Deep sea
Deep-sea mining
Climate change
Food web
Ecosystem functioning
Abyssal Plain
Submarine Canyons

Academic degrees

2005- PhD in Marine Biology, Wageningen University, The Netherlands.
1998- Degree in Biology, Faculdade de Ciências, U. Porto.

Scientific activities

2020 (December 2020) Researcher at Departamento de Biologia and CESAM at the University of Aveiro (UA-Portugal).
2019 (May 2019 - November 2019) - Researcher at the Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), Porto, Portugal. My research focused on the impact of mining in deep-sea ecosystems, using in situ experimentations and on developing a hyperbaric system for Deep-Sea Organisms.
2018 (October 2018 - December 2018) - Invited researcher at IFREMER, Brest, France. My research focused on the impact of mining in deep-sea ecosystems, using in situ experimentations in hydrothermal vents
2017 (March 2017 - March 2018) - Researcher at the Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), Porto, Portugal. My research focused on the impact of mining in deep-sea ecosystems, using in situ experimentations and hyperbaric chambers.
2016 (June 2016 - January 2017) - Researcher at the Stazione Zoologica di Napoli (SZN), Naples, Italy. My research aimed to study the functioning of the Dohrn Canyon.
2015 (September 2013 - September 2015) - Post-Doctoral researcher at the Hellenic Center of Marine Research (HCMR) under a Marie Curie Fellowship. My research focused on the study of the impact of climate-driven changes in megafaunal communities (invertebrates) in the Pacific Ocean. In particular, studies of how food supply influences key megafaunal organisms has been approached to improve understanding of how their presence influences the rates and pathways of OM degradation by the sedimentary community.
2013 (April 2012 - July 2013) - Post-Doctoral researcher at NIVA with the objective to determine a) the biological impacts and risks associated with CO2 leakage by controlled exposure experiments or in situ observations at natural sites, and b) to identify appropriate methods to monitor the marine environment above a storage site.
2011 (January 2006 - December 2011) - Post-Doctoral researcher at Cesam & Biology Department at the University of Aveiro (UA-Portugal). My research included the study of the ecosystem functioning of some European Canyons (Nazaré, Setúbal, Cascais and Whittard canyon), seamounts and basins. The research was carried out within the framework of several national/international projects

Others

GRANTS AND AWARDS
•IFREMER fellowship. Impact studies focusing on the consequences of mining plumes on benthic communities. (2018).
•FCT project. “Mining Impact 2”. Leading researcher for CIIMAR and co-leading WP3.
•Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship. “Climate effects on the deep-sea ecosystem functioning of the Mediterranean Sea”. (2013-2015).
•FCT project. “Microbial biodiversity and functional role in benthic food webs of the ocean Condor seamount (NE Atlantic)”. Co-leading researcher. (2010-2013).
•Portuguese National Science and Technology Foundation - Postdoctoral fellowship. “The ecological importance of two Portuguese “Grand Canyons” in terms of structure and functioning of benthic communities and of key species” (2006 –2011).
•Best poster presentation, HERMES, 2nd Annual Meeting. 24-30 March 2007, Faro, Portugal.
•Portuguese National Science and Technology Foundation- PhD. “The benthic shift of the Frisian Front (Southern North Sea) ecosystem – Possible mechanisms “(2000 –2004).
•Grant for internship at the Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) through the European programme “Leonardo da Vinci”. The effect of low winter seawater temperatures on the survival of some of the most abundant benthic invertebrates and demersal fish of the North Sea”. (1998 -1999).

EDITORIAL WORK
•Co-editor for deep-sea researcher journal
•Carried out external reviews for COST open calls in 2017.
•Internal examiner for a Master thesis entitled ”Isotopic signatures of  Frenulata from cold seeps in the Gulf of Cadiz”. Porto University, 2005.
•Carried out external reviews for COST open calls in 2017.
•Carried out external reviews for peer-review journals, namely: Deep-sea research, Progress in oceanography, Marine Ecology, Journal of Sea Research.
•Invited speaker at guest lectures and seminars in high schools.
•Co-organizer of the 11th International Deep-Sea Biology Symposium,  NOCS, 9-14 July 2006.

PARTICIPATIONS IN SCIENTIFIC NETWORK

INDEEP: International network for scientific investigation of deep-sea ecosystems
DOSI: Deep-Ocean Stewardship Initiative
DSBS: Deep-Sea Biology Society
INCISE: International Network for Submarine Canyon Investigation and Scientific Exchange

OTHER SKILLS
Certificated diver from CMAS – Instructor (M1) (2017)
Certificated diver from SSI – Instructor (2017)
Certified as a DAN instructor in 9 specialities courses (Basic Life Support, Automatic External Defibrillator, First Aid, Hazardous Marine Life Injuries, On Site Neurological Assessment, Oxygen First Aid, Oxygen First Aid for Aquatic Emergencies, Advanced Oxygen First Aid, Dive Medicine for Divers). From 2014 to current I have been teaching all these courses.
Certificated technical diver from TDI - DECO diver. (2011)
Certificated as Coastal skipper. (2013)

VOLUNTEER WORK
During the emergency period, I have been working at Gaia Hospital to both process and analyse SARS-CoV-2 samples for 3 months.

Publications

Projects

DEEP REST -Conservation and restoration of deep-sea ecosystems in the context of deep-sea mining See more

Microbial biodiversity and functional role in benthic food webs of the Condor seamount (NE Atlantic) See more

Scientific Supervision

Master (Main Supervisor): Sanne Schulting (not a CESAM member)

Master (Main Supervisor): J. Verschuuren (not a CESAM member)

Master (Main Supervisor): A. Alves 2015, (not a CESAM member)

Master (Main Supervisor): S. Schulting, Wageningen University (not a CESAM member)

Bolsa de investigação (para estágio) (Main Supervisor): Sara Cleto (not a CESAM member)

Bolsa de investigação (para estágio) (Main Supervisor): Isabel Magalhães (not a CESAM member)

Bolsa de investigação (Co-supervisor): Paola Parretti (not a CESAM member)

Present investigation interests

Long-term change in deep-sea communities, continental slope megafauna, bentho-pelagic coupling, seasonality in the deep-sea, trophic ecology of key megafaunal species, abundance and biomass of deep-sea megabenthos, , abyssal plains, continental slopes, canyons, seamounts, deep-sea in situ experimentation. Understanding contemporary processes to evaluate any anthropogenic impacts in the deep-ocean. I have a huge interest on examine questions focussing on abyssal ecology:
What factors are affecting the quantity and quality of sinking organic carbon to abyssal depths from climatic variation to benthic processes?
How does variation in the sinking organic carbon food supply affect behaviour, population, and community dynamics?
How is the organic carbon food supply utilized and transformed by abyssal fauna? Morever, I am involved in collaborative projects where I specifically aim to understand the effects of suspended and resettled sediment plumes on organic matter remineralization by benthic communities, including microorganisms, meio-, macro- and megafauna (in situ experiments, moored instrumentation, sediment cores, and seafloor imagery). In addition, I am very interested in deepening my knowledge on contributing to efficient management recommendations for mitigating the effects of global ecological changes, in line with the needs of stakeholders and local public.