Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2023-08"
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- What can the Gulf of Mexico and Panama tell us about education and outreach?Publication . Fredericq, Suzanne; Wysor, B.; Freshwater, D.W.; Krayesky-Self, S.; Collin, R.; Sauvage, Thomas; Richards, Joseph; Gabriel, Daniela; Arakaki, Natalia; Camacho, Olga; Cho, Tae Oh; Won, Boo Yeon; Ehrenhaus, Constanza; Venera-Ponton, Dagoberto; Kittle III, Ronald Paul; Krayesky, David; Gurgel, Carlos Frederico Deluqui; Schmidt, William E.ABSTRACT: A series of research grants funded by the National Science Foundation involved a major component about education and outreach as it pertained to marine algal diversity. These included comprehensive studies into 1) the diversity of the deep bank marine algae in the Gulf of Mexico (NSF Biodiversity Surveys and Inventories program) and the discovery of unsuspected eukaryotic life inhabiting rhodolith forming coralline algae (NSF DEB), 2) monographic research (NSF PEET), 3) advanced tropical phycology with the integration of modern and traditional techniques in the study of tropical algae of Panama (NSF PASI), among others.
- Alien Invasions: Quantifying the invasiveness risk of macroalgae in the AzoresPublication . Gabriel, Daniela; Martins, Beatriz; Ribeiro, Cláudia; Vilizzi, Lorenzo; Fredericq, SuzanneABSTRACT: The presence of aliens or non-indigenous species (NIS) is a known threat to biodiversity, health, and economy, so it is of high importance that their invasiveness risk be quantified. The mid-northern Atlantic archipelago of the Azores encompasses 30% of the European Union exclusive economic zone and is known to host a high proportion of marine NIS.
- Vascular plant taxa occurrences in exotic woodland and in natural and production forests on the Islands of São Miguel, Terceira and Pico (Azores)Publication . Silva, Lurdes; Madeira, Patricia; Pavão, Diogo C.; Elias, R.B.; Moura, Monica; Silva, LuísThe data presented here originated from field expeditions carried out between 2017 and 2018, within the framework of Forest-Eco2 project: "Towards an Ecological and Economic valorisation of the Azorean Forest". The project aimed to quantify the ecological value of the Azorean forests, including carbon accumulation and to design and propose measures that could further enhance forest sustainability. For that, 90 forest plots were sampled on three Azores islands - São Miguel, Terceira and Pico - equally distributed into natural forest, exotic woodland and production forest. The aim of this report is to further expand knowledge on biodiversity trends enclosed in the different forest types present in the Azores, by providing a list of the occurrences of the 105 different vascular plant taxa together with a brief characterisation of their origin and life-form.
- MONICET: The Azores whale watching contribution to cetacean monitoringPublication . González García, Laura; Fernandez, Marc; Manuel N. Azevedo, JoséABSTRACT: The Azores islands have been historically linked to cetaceans, becoming an example of a successful transition from whaling to whale watching. Twenty-eight cetacean species have been sighted in these waters, making the archipelago one of the most recognised whale and dolphin watching destinations worldwide. The business is well-established in the region, operates in four of the nine islands year-round or seasonally and provides an excellent opportunity to collect long term information on cetacean distribution and abundance in an affordable way. Continuous monitoring is indeed essential to establish baseline knowledge and to evaluate cetacean response to potential natural or anthropogenic impacts. Opportunistic data greatly complement traditional dedicated surveys, providing additional support for appropriate management plans.
- Terra Nostra Garden 2023 dataset of Camellia species, hybrids and their cultivars (Azores, Portugal)Publication . Costa, Carina; Costa, Fernando; Trota, A.; Borges, Paulo A. V.; Monjardino, Paulo; Pereira, MariaABSTRACT: Camellias cultivars collections, comprising an exquisite array of meticulously bred and curated camellia varieties, emerged as indispensable elements within the resplendent 19th century gardens that adorned landscapes across the globe. The heart of Terra Nostra Garden, nestled within the captivating surroundings of the Furnas volcano on S. Miguel Island (Azores, Portugal), started in the year 1782 as an enchanting fishpond garden, strategically positioned in front of the summer house belonging to the esteemed Thomas Hickling, the American vice-consul. Soon this garden was enlarged and embellished with species from several continents. This tradition continued during all the 19th century with the Viscount Duarte Borges da Câmara Medeiros (1848-1872) and his son the Marquis António Borges Medeiros Dias da Câmara e Sousa (1872-1913). In 1933, the 12 hectares property was acquired by the Terra Nostra Society, led by Vasco Bensaude and increased to 12.5 hectares. In 1935, the current Terra Nostra Garden Hotel was inaugurated and, two years later, the Terra Nostra Society reopened the botanical garden attached to the hotel, now called Terra Nostra Garden. Beginning in 1982, the Head Gardener embarked on a transformative journey, dedicating his expertise to the meticulous renovation and expansion of numerous botanical collections nestled within the garden's enchanting landscapes. Amongst the remarkable transformations, the revered camellias collection received special attention, as it underwent a comprehensive rejuvenation process under his skilful guidance. The recent publication of a global digital dataset of Camellia names provides the opportunity to publish the dataset of Camellia species, hybrids and its cultivars currently cultivated at Terra Nostra Garden with their validated names.
- The Surplus Value of HS-SPME/GC on the Rapid Quality Assessment of Dairy Products, Particularly Cheese, by The Volatile Components ProfilePublication . Paiva, Lisete; Baptista, JoséABSTRACT: Food aroma is a sensory property produced by the interaction between chemical compounds and sensory receptors and, particularly, cheese aroma consumer perception is one of the foremost criteria for its preference and acceptance. Head-space solid phase microextraction gas chromatography (HS-SPME/GC) is commonly used for qualitative and quantitative analysis of volatile compounds in various food products, in which analytes are adsorbed directly on the stationary phase coated on the outer surface of fuse-silica, eliminates the needs for solvent-extraction and/or sophisticated apparatus, requires much less sample preparation and manipulation time per sample. Bearing all this in mind, the aim of the present study was to determine and to compare cheese aroma profiles, particularly from Azorean Region, influenced by climate, soil composition, seasons, different management, and feed practices, genetic modified cows, and probably different cheese-making technologies using HS-SPME/GC methodology. Significant differences were observed in levels of individual head-space volatiles in different cheese aroma samples.
- Island spider origins show complex vertical stratification patterns in MacaronesiaPublication . Costa, Ricardo; Cardoso, P.; Rigal, F.; Borges, Paulo A. V.1.Spiders are among the most diverse and yet threatened groups of arthropods in Macaronesia. Found in most habitat types, they occupy the vertical gradient of native forests from ground to canopy level. 2. We hypothesize that their vertical distribution is influenced by the colonization origin. As introduced species should arrive using shipping containers and similar means, they should mostly occupy the lower levels in the gradient, with potential negative effects on the indigenous epigean fauna. 3. Spiders were sampled from epigean to arboreal microhabitats (maximum height varying between 2 and 4 m) on 45 sites across five islands belonging to three archipelagos. The mean and range of vertical stratification were obtained for each captured species. These values were then compared between different colonization origins at Macaronesian and archipelagic levels. 4. Native non-endemic species were found at significantly higher vertical strata than both endemic and introduced species. Likewise, native non-endemics had a larger vertical range. These patterns were largely replicated across archipelagos, although there were exceptions. 5. Overall, introduced species do not seem to occur mostly at lower strata in the native forests of Macaronesia (at least in the studied vertical range) but seem to be vertically restricted in most settings with the exception of Madeira.
- Rosika Schwimmer: Feminismo e PacifismoPublication . Pires, Ana PaulaRosika Schwimmer nasceu em Budapeste numa família judia, em 1877. Foi uma feminista, defensora do direito de voto das mulheres, e comprometida com a aplicação de uma agenda pacifista a uma Europa que então vivia mergulhada em tensão e discórdia. A 28 de Junho de 1914 o herdeiro do trono austro-húngaro tinha sido assassinado em Sarajevo, acontecimento que acabaria por estar na origem da guerra de 1914-1918, e Rosika foi uma das primeiras a perceber a rapidez com que um conflito localizado nos Balcãs se poderia alastrar a toda a Europa.
- Seasonal Hydration Status of Common Bryophyte Species in Azorean Native VegetationPublication . Coelho, Márcia Catarina Mendes; Gabriel, Rosalina; Ah-Peng, ClaudineABSTRACT: Bryophytes play a crucial role in the ecosystem’s water compartment due to their unique ability to retain water. However, their role within temperate native ecosystems is mostly unknown. To address this knowledge gap, a study was conducted on Terceira Island (Azores), focusing on 14 bryophyte species found at different altitudes (40 m, 683 m, and 1012 m); five samples were collected monthly, per species and location, and their fresh, saturated, and dry weights were examined in the laboratory; four species were collected from more than one site. Generalized linear models (GLM) were used to assert the influence of climate factors (temperature, precipitation, and relative humidity) and environmental variables on two water indicators: field water content (FWC) and relative water content (RWC). None of the examined factors, per se, were able to explain all cases. Species appear to respond to climate according to a limiting factor effect: at lower elevations, precipitation was determinant, while at medium elevations, FWC was influenced by a combination of precipitation and relative humidity. At higher elevations, temperature was retained for seven of the nine studied species. The RWC values indicated that the 14 bryophyte species remained hydrated throughout the year but rarely reached their maximum water-holding capacity, even at the highest altitude. Understanding the mechanisms by which native bryophytes acquire, store, and release water is crucial for comprehending the resilience of native vegetation in the face of climate change. This knowledge can also enable the development of strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change and protect vital water resources.
- Metallothionein expression in the central nervous system in response to chronic heavy metal exposure: possible neuroprotective mechanismPublication . Navarro-Sempere, A.; Martínez-Peinado, P.; Rodrigues, A. S.; Garcia, Patrícia; Camarinho, R.; Grindlay, G.; Gras, L.; García, M.; Segovia, Y.ABSTRACT: It has been reported that volcanoes release several tonnes of mercury per year among other heavy metals through eruptions, fumaroles, or diffuse soil degassing. Since a high percentage of the world's population lives in the vicinity of an active volcano, the aim of this study is to evaluate the accumulation of these metals in the central nervous system and the presence of cellular mechanisms of heavy metal detoxification such as metallothioneins. To carry out this study, wild mice (Mus musculus) chronically exposed to an active volcanic environment were captured in Furnas village (Azores, Portugal) and compared with those trapped in a reference area (Rabo de Peixe, Azores, Portugal). On the one hand, the heavy metal load has been evaluated by analyzing brain and cerebellum using ICP-MS and a mercury analyzer and on the other hand, the presence of metallothionein 2A has been studied by immunofluorescence assays. Our results show a higher load of metals such as mercury, cadmium and lead in the central nervous system of exposed mice compared to non-exposed individuals and, in addition, a higher immunoreactivity for metallothionein 2A in different areas of the cerebrum and cerebellum indicating a possible neuroprotection process.