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  • New records, detailed distribution and abundance of rove-beetles (Insecta, Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) collected between 1990 and 2015 in Azores (Portugal) with an updated checklist
    Publication . Borges, Paulo A. V.; Lamelas-López, Lucas; Assing, Volker; Schülke, Michael
    Background: The dataset we present consists of an inventory compiling all records and knowledge about Staphylinidae (Insecta, Coleoptera) in the Azores and is part of a long-term monitoring performed between 1990 and 2015 in different habitat types of eight islands of the Azores Archipelago. Most samples come from the BALA project (Biodiversity of Arthropods from the Laurisilva of Azores) that sampled native forests in the Azores. Additional sampled habitats include exotic forests, intensive and semi-natural pasturelands, orchards, caves and lava flows. Most of the records (about 96.7%) were collected in standardised sampling campaigns, which included pitfall traps and beating transect protocols. Non-standardised records are based on hand-collecting and sifting, as well as cave, colour and malaise traps. New information: We provide a long-term inventory of Staphylinidae (Insecta, Coleoptera) collected in the course of several standardised sampling campaigns and recorded with non-standardised methods. We collected a total of 10744 specimens belonging to 69 identified species of Staphylinidae, which represents 51% of the species known from the Azores Archipelago. Four endemic species were sampled, representing 40% of the known Azorean endemic species. From this dataset, seven species are new for the Azores: Aleochara funebris Wollaston, 1864; Amischa forcipata Mulsant & Rey, 1873; Bledius unicornis (Germar, 1825); Carpelimus troglodytes (Erichson, 1840); Cypha seminulum (Erichson, 1839); Paraphloeostiba gayndahensis (MacLeay, 1871); Tachyporus caucasicus Kolenati, 1846. We also registered a total of 66 new island records for eight Azorean islands. This contribution continues a series of publications on the distribution and abundance of Azorean arthropods. We also provide an updated list of Azorean rove-beetles (Staphylinidae) that now includes 136 species, ten of them considered Azorean endemics.
    2022-02Journal article Open access Show more
  • Secondary Metabolites and Their Applications
    Publication . Gallardo, Eugenia; Seca, Ana M. L.
    The identification of secondary metabolites present in both terrestrial and marine species continues to be a fundamental and privileged path for the emergence of new and fundamental natural products available on the market with very different applications. For example, aplidine is a new natural anticancer agent, and it was approved in Australia in 2018 to treat multiple myeloma and was isolated from the first time from tunicate “Aplidium albicans” Milne Edwards. (+)-Nootkatone is a natural sesquiterpene compound, found in very small amounts in several species such as “Chamaecyparis nootkatensis” (D. Don) Sudworth, ”Chrysopogon zizanioides” (L.) Roberty and “Citrus paradise” Macfad., which exhibits highly appreciated organoleptic properties and is, therefore, highly demanded as a flavoring agent or adjuvant in the food, pharmaceutical and perfumery industries. This same natural secondary metabolite is applied as insecticide and acaricide, and it was very recently authorized by United Sates Environmental Protection Agency to be include on formulations to control the spread of mosquitoes that transmit infectious diseases as dengue and zika. And who does not know the application of ascorbic acid, found for example in acerola and lemon fruits, as an antioxidant agent, widely used by the food industry? The successful application of secondary metabolites in diverse requests often involves the use of, more or less, complex mixtures of metabolites, extracted by different methods and from different natural sources, but whose chemical composition and active principles are perfectly established. For example, there are the defined botanical mixtures, called natural product botanicals, which are recognized by the FDA as medicinal entities, successfully used in clinical therapy for the treatment of various diseases. This is the case of the mixture of the secondary metabolites of ”Solanum sodomaeum” L., solamargine, solasonine, and mono- and di-glycosides derivatives of solasodine, approved by the European Medicine Agency (trade name Curaderm) for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma of the skin. One area in which the application of secondary metabolites mixtures rather than of pure compounds is common is in the formulation of biopesticides. For example, the insecticide Grandevo® is a mixture of metabolites produced in the fermentation of “Chromobacterium subtsugae”, which includes pigments from the violacein family and proteins that are repellent and antifeeding. Despite the great successes already achieved regarding the secondary metabolites’ identification and the development of new applications for these metabolites, this is an area of research that should not slow down. Research must continue identifying and isolating secondary metabolites in unexplored natural sources; new methodologies for extracting secondary metabolites should be tested and optimized to develop greener and more efficient processes; pure secondary metabolites and chemically characterized mixtures must be tested in different biological activities in order to enhance new applications responding to the growing needs of humanity. The Special Issue of Applied Sciences, “Advances in Applications of Natural Bioactive Compounds”, aims to contribute to the desired continuous advance in this scientific field, bringing together publications focused on the most recent advances in the identification of secondary metabolites from terrestrial and marine sources, in new extractive methodologies, and in proposals for applications that add value to natural resources and contributes to a more sustainable development.
    2022-02Journal article Open access Show more
  • Dendrochronological potential of the Azorean endemic gymnosperm Juniperus brevifolia (Seub.) Antoine
    Publication . Pavão, Diogo Cláudio; Jevšenak, Jernej; Petrillo, M.; Camarinho, Ricardo; Rodrigues, Armindo; Silva, L. Borges; Elias, Rui B.; Silva, Luís
    Tree-ring inter-annual pattern variation is crucial in dendrochronology, allowing the identification of possible limiting factors on growth. Thus, trees exposed to subtropical or tropical climates without a marked seasonality may show a low degree of interannual variation, impeding a straightforward dendroclimatological approach. Meanwhile, subtropical regions, and areas in transitional climates such as the Azores archipelago, are widely unexplored in terms of dendroclimatology, providing opportunities to work with endemic trees, including the dominant Azorean tree Juniperus brevifolia (Seub.) Antoine. To evaluate the dendrochronological potential of J. brevifolia, we analyzed tree-ring patterns, crossdating capabilities, and correlation with climate parameters. We sampled 48 individual trees from two natural populations (São Miguel and Terceira islands) using an increment borer. Besides, a Trephor tool was used to obtain wood microcores for micro-anatomical analysis. Although the transition between early and latewood was evident, partially indistinct ring boundaries and wedging rings were present in some cases, affecting the crossdating process, but not impeding the establishment of reliable ring-width chronologies. Following detrending, master chronologies were built and correlated with monthly temperature and precipitation data using the treeclim R package. The climate-growth relationships indicated negative correlations with late summer temperature in both populations. Considering our results and the importance of J. brevifolia as a dominant tree in the Azores natural forests, we conclude that it shows an acceptable potential for dendrochronological research. Thus, this study provides baseline information to help fill the knowledge gap regarding the climate-growth relationship of Azorean trees.
    2022-02Journal article Restricted access Show more
  • Behavioural Ecology Traits of Elusive Deep-Diver Whales Unravel a Complex Social Structure Influenced by Female Philopatry and Defence Polygyny
    Publication . Badenas, Anja; Dinis, Ana; Ferreira, Rita; Sambolino, Annalisa; Hamard, Eliette; Berninsone, Leonardo G.; Fernandez, Marc; Alves, Filipe M. A.
    Knowledge of the role of individual associations has provided an insightful understanding of the structures of animal societies, especially in highly social mammals such as primates. Yet, this is unbalanced towards marine mammals, particularly to beaked whales, due to their elusive nature. In addition, information on the fundamental drivers of the social structure of these deep-diving animals is still scarce. Here, the hypothesis of female defence polygyny was tested in Blainville’s beaked whales (Mesoplodon densirostris) and discussed within the context of marine and terrestrial organisms displaying similar patterns, by (i) estimating residency times to obtain information on the movements into and out of the area, (ii) analysing social networks to assess individual association metrics, (iii) measuring the strength of the associations to assess the existence of preferred or avoided relationships among individuals, and (iv) modelling different social structures to address temporal patterns in social relationships. Using a 9-year photographic dataset derived from the pelagic habitat, individual associations were inferred based on likelihood techniques. This approach allowed to infer on the species’ social structure in relation to age class, sex, residency status, and spatio-temporal patterns, which can be a good practice to be applied for other taxa. Heterogeneity in capture probability and residency times was observed between age-sex classes, with adult females exhibiting long-term site fidelity. This suggests different habitat roles and spatial structuring within this social organisation. Strong and long dyadic associations occurred between adult females and immatures, contrarily to between males, and the best-fitting models of the temporal patterns suggested long-lasting and temporary associations. The present findings unravel a complex social structure stratified by age-sex class and influenced by female philopatry and defence polygyny, like an unimale group mating system, which varies from other beaked whales but is similar to some birds, pinnipeds, or non-human primates.
    2022-02Journal article Open access Show more
  • Azores All in Blue : Um projeto de turismo inclusivo
    Publication . Gil, Ana Cristina Correia, dir.; Fialho, Adolfo Fernando da Fonte, ed.; Caldeira, Suzana Nunes
    Neste número, a rubrica Agora dá notícia da cerimónia comemorativa do 46.º aniversário da UAc, na qual foi distinguido o mérito escolar de alguns alunos da FCSH. Em tempo de comemorar, também parabenizamos a Licenciatura em Sociologia que celebra este ano letivo o seu 25.º aniversário. A conversa escrita deste mês faz eco da missão assumida pelo Centro de Resposta a Emergências (CRE) da UAc, tão importante no contexto pandémico que atravessamos.
    2022-02Periodical Open access Show more
  • AVONET : morphological, ecological and geographical data for all birds
    Publication . Tobias, Joseph A.; Sheard, Catherine; Pigot, Alex L.; Devenish, Adam J. M.; Yang, Jingyi; Sayol, Ferran; Neate‐Clegg, Montague H. C.; Alioravainen, Nico; Weeks, Thomas L.; Barber, Robert A.; Walkden, Patrick A.; Cooper, Jacob C.; Pauwels, Olivier S. G.; Analuddin, Kangkuso; Fjeldså, Jon; Seddon, Nathalie; Sweet, Paul R.; DeClerck, Fabrice A. J.; Naka, Luciano N.; Brawn, Jeffrey D.; Aleixo, Alexandre; MacGregor, Hannah E. A.; Böhning‐Gaese, Katrin; Rahbek, Carsten; Fritz, Susanne A.; Thomas, Gavin H.; Schleuning, Matthias; Jones, Samuel E. I.; Vincent, Claire; Phillips, Anna G.; Marples, Nicola M.; Montaño‐Centellas, Flavia A.; Leandro‐Silva, Victor; Claramunt, Santiago; Darski, Bianca; Freeman, Benjamin G.; Bregman, Tom P.; Cooney, Christopher R.; Hughes, Emma C.; Capp, Elliot J. R.; Varley, Zoë K.; Friedman, Nicholas R.; Korntheuer, Heiko; Corrales‐Vargas, Andrea; Trisos, Christopher H.; Weeks, Brian C.; Hanz, Dagmar M.; Töpfer, Till; Bravo, Gustavo A.; Remeš, Vladimír; Nowak, Larissa; Carneiro, Lincoln S.; Moncada R., Amilkar J.; Matysioková, Beata; Baldassarre, Daniel T.; Martínez‐Salinas, Alejandra; Wolfe, Jared D.; Chapman, Philip M.; Daly, Benjamin G.; Sorensen, Marjorie C.; Neu, Alexander; Ford, Michael A.; Mayhew, Rebekah J.; Fabio Silveira, Luis; Kelly, David J.; Annorbah, Nathaniel N. D.; Pollock, Henry S.; Grabowska‐Zhang, Ada M.; McEntee, Jay P.; Carlos T. Gonzalez, Juan; Meneses, Camila G.; Muñoz, Marcia C.; Powell, Luke L.; Jamie, Gabriel A.; Matthews, Thomas J.; Johnson, Oscar; Brito, Guilherme R. R.; Zyskowski, Kristof; Crates, Ross; Harvey, Michael G.; Jurado Zevallos, Maura; Hosner, Peter A.; Bradfer‐Lawrence, Tom; Maley, James M.; Stiles, F. Gary; Lima, Hevana S.; Provost, Kaiya L.; Chibesa, Moses; Mashao, Mmatjie; Howard, Jeffrey T.; Mlamba, Edson; Chua, Marcus A. H.; Li, Bicheng; Gómez, M. Isabel; García, Natalia C.; Päckert, Martin; Fuchs, Jérôme; Ali, Jarome R.; Derryberry, Elizabeth P.; Carlson, Monica L.; Urriza, Rolly C.; Brzeski, Kristin E.; Prawiradilaga, Dewi M.; Rayner, Matt J.; Miller, Eliot T.; Bowie, Rauri C. K.; Lafontaine, René‐Marie; Scofield, R. Paul; Lou, Yingqiang; Somarathna, Lankani; Lepage, Denis; Illif, Marshall; Neuschulz, Eike Lena; Templin, Mathias; Dehling, D. Matthias
    Functional traits offer a rich quantitative framework for developing and testing theories in evolutionary biology, ecology and ecosystem science. However, the potential of functional traits to drive theoretical advances and refine models of global change can only be fully realised when species-level information is complete. Here we present the AVONET dataset containing comprehensive functional trait data for all birds, including six ecological variables, 11 continuous morphological traits, and information on range size and location. Raw morphological measurements are presented from 90,020 individuals of 11,009 extant bird species sampled from 181 countries. These data are also summarised as species averages in three taxonomic formats, allowing integration with a global phylogeny, geographical range maps, IUCN Red List data and the eBird citizen science database. The AVONET dataset provides the most detailed picture of continuous trait variation for any major radiation of organisms, offering a global template for testing hypotheses and exploring the evolutionary origins, structure and functioning of biodiversity.
    2022-02Journal article Open access Show more
  • Assessing taxonomic and functional change in British breeding bird assemblages over time
    Publication . Wayman, Joseph P.; Sadler, Jonathan P.; Pugh, Thomas A. M.; Martin, Thomas E.; Tobias, Joseph A.; Matthews, Thomas J.
    AIM: The aim was to identify the primary drivers of compositional change in breeding bird assemblages over a 40-year period. LOCATION: Britain. TIME PERIOD: From 1970 to 2010. MAJOR TAXA STUDIED: Birds. METHODS: Using morphological trait measurements and a dataset of presence-absence data for British breeding birds surveyed in 10 km × 10 km hectads during two time periods, we calculated temporal taxonomic and functional beta diversity for each hectad alongside the change in species richness, mean nearest taxon distance (MNTD) and mean pairwise distance (MPD). We also estimated potential drivers of beta diversity, including climatic and land-use and land-cover (LULC) change variables, elevation and assemblage species richness in 1970 (1970rich). We used random forest regressions to test which variables best explained compositional change in the assemblages. We also assessed spatial taxonomic and functional change by analysing multiple-site beta diversity and pairwise dissimilarities between time periods. RESULTS: Initial (1970) species richness was the most important predictor (highest importance score) across all models, with areas characterized by higher initial richness experiencing less assemblage change overall. The coordinates included to capture spatial autocorrelation in the data were also important predictors of change. Most cli-mate and LULC variables had relatively low explanatory power; elevation and average temperature were the most influential. All metrics increased slightly with increasing elevation, except for species richness change and MPD, which decreased. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: The composition of British breeding bird assemblages changed substantially between 1970 and 2010. Spatial heterogeneity increased, both taxonomically and functionally. We show evidence that hectads with larger assemblages have been buffered from temporal diversity change and that those at higher elevations changed more in composition than those at lower elevations. Overall, coarse-resolution climate and LULC explained only small to moderate amounts of variation, suggesting that stochastic assembly change or finer-scale drivers might be drivers of temporal changes in assemblage composition.
    2022-02Journal article Restricted access Show more
  • Cultural probes for environmental education : Designing learning materials to engage children and teenagers with local biodiversity
    Publication . Matos, Sónia; Silva, Alexandra R.; Sousa, Duarte; Picanço, Ana; Rosário, Isabel Amorim do; Ashby, Simone; Gabriel, Rosalina; Arroz, Ana Moura
    Direct contact with nature is paramount in deepening children’s and teenagers’ interest in biodiversity. Learning materials chosen to convey information and engage participants during outings in nature-rich environments are varied and can support rich learning experiences. For this purpose, learning materials can be acquired "off-the-shelf" or developed for site-specific locations or projects. However, there is little guidance on potential techniques for those wishing to generate contextually relevant materials. With the view of responding to this challenge, we propose the cultural probes technique. We demonstrate that the technique, commonly used in qualitative research to generate novel insights in conversation with participants, can instigate innovative and thoughtful approaches to materials designed for children and teenagers to explore nature. We present a toolkit that draws on the literature on cultural probes, inquiry-based learning, and the value of sensory, emotional, and aesthetic experiences in environmental education for structuring interactions with participants. To test our approach, we applied a descriptive research design and mixed-methods approach for collecting questions from youths between the ages of 10 and 18, inspired by a nature walk and a set of exploratory tasks executed through the toolkit. Specifically, we tested our toolkit along a trail in the Nature Park of Terceira, situated in the Azores, a Portuguese volcanic archipelago in the North Atlantic. Here, we present and reflect on the data collected during one visit organized over two days with two groups of participants and one post-trail activity directed at both groups. Results demonstrate that the open-ended and playful nature of cultural probes offers a novel way to engage youths with nature-rich environments through questioning. This contribution further highlights the potential of cultural probes for instigating encounters that tap into the value of sensory, emotional, and aesthetic experience in nature, with positive outcomes for participants.
    2022-02Journal article Open access Show more
  • Response of Common and Rare Beetle Species to Tree Species and Vertical Stratification in a Floodplain Forest
    Publication . Haack, Nora; Borges, Paulo A. V.; Grimm-Seyfarth, Annegret; Schlegel, Martin; Wirth, Christian; Bernhard, Detlef; Brunk, Ingo; Henle, Klaus; Pereira, Henrique M.
    Vertical stratification and host tree species are factors with a high influence on the structure of communities of xylobiont beetles. However, little is known about how this influence varies between common and rare species. Based on estimated species richness, we compared alpha and beta diversity patterns of common and rare species in the canopy of the Leipzig floodplain forest to assess their response to vertical stratification and tree species. We used two measures of rarity: threat level in red lists and abundance based on octaves. The understory displayed a significantly higher number of common species than the canopy strata. Conversely, the canopy strata harbored a higher number of rare species. Turnover was always dominant over richness differences in beta diversity partitions. Using Raup–Crick null models and non-metric multidimensional scaling, we found that the vertical strata accounted for 19% of the overall beta diversity of common species and for 15% of the overall beta diversity of rare species. The tree species accounted for 7% of the overall beta diversity of the common species and 3% of the beta diversity of the rare species. Our results indicate that studies carried out in the understory alone do not allow drawing conclusions regarding the biodiversity in the canopy strata, and thus regarding the overall community structure of xylobiont beetles in the canopy.
    2022-02Journal article Open access Show more
  • A influência das práticas de Gestão de Recursos Humanos na criação de inovação e criatividade organizacional
    Publication . Cabral, Inês Rebelo; Faria, Sandra Dias
    Ao longo dos anos, a inovação tem vindo a ganhar cada vez mais relevância para as organizações que a consideram como o meio mais eficaz de atingir os objetivos definidos e alcançar o sucesso. Devido aos avanços da tecnologia tanto a nível de informações como de comunicações, à crescente globalização e às constantes mudanças no mundo e na sociedade, os produtos e serviços são rapidamente aceites, mas também são facilmente substituídos, acabando por cair em esquecimento. É neste sentido que as empresas têm de introduzir no mercado, com rapidez, opções que vão ao encontro das necessidades e preferências dos consumidores. Só assim conseguem ganhar vantagem na liderança comercial, garantir a sua sustentabilidade e diferenciar-se da concorrência. Contudo, o processo de criação de inovação não é tão simples como pode parecer, pois depende das capacidades e competências cognitivas e inovadoras das pessoas que estão envolvidas. As novas tecnologias são um aspeto importante, uma vez que acrescentam valor à inovação, no entanto, os Recursos Humanos são o meio fundamental para que a inovação ocorra, apenas com o seu know-how é possível a criação de soluções inovadoras. É neste aspeto que se insere a presente dissertação, que tem como objetivo analisar e compreender de que modo as práticas de Gestão de Recursos Humanos influenciam o desempenho inovador de uma determinada organização. Pretende-se perceber se a empresa adapta as práticas quando direcionadas para áreas inovadores e se existem medidas de incentivo ao desenvolvimento de processos de cariz inovador. Para a elaboração da dissertação procurou-se analisar e discutir os diversos contributos teóricos e empíricos sobre a inovação, a Gestão de Recursos Humanos, bem como a relação entre a inovação e a Gestão de Recursos Humanos. O estudo de caso foi efetuado à empresa EDA, S.A., que tem apostado fortemente na inovação. Como método de recolha de dados optou-se pelas entrevistas, que possibilitaram investigar a visão dos responsáveis pelas diferentes áreas que constituem a EDA. Através da análise de dados verificou-se que a maioria das práticas de Gestão de Recursos Humanos têm impacto no desempenho inovador dos colaboradores, umas mais do que outras.
    2022-02-04Master thesis Open access Show more