Browsing by Author "Queiroga, Henrique"
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- Assessing the land- and seascape determinants of recreational diving: evidence for Portugal's south coastPublication . Cardoso-Andrade, Mariana; Cruz-Jesus, Frederico; Rego, Francisco Castro; Rangel, Mafalda; Queiroga, HenriqueScuba diving is one of the most popular coastal recreational activities, and one of the few that are allowed in multiple-use marine protected areas. Nevertheless, like many other coastal activities, if in excess, it may harm coastal ecosystems and their sustainable use. This paper focuses on the seascape and landscape characteristics that are most associated with the existence of dive sites, aiming to identify other suitable locations along the coast to potentially reduce environmental pressure (e.g., overcrowding and physical damage) on the existing dive sites. Logistic regressions were employed to model the suitability for dive sites existence in the Portuguese south coast (Algarve), one of the most popular Summer destinations in mainland Europe. Results suggest that closeness to waterlines and piers and the presence of rock structures in the coastal strip are the most important attributes that positively influence dive sites’ existence, whereas the beach environment and the presence of muddy sediments are negatively associated with it. In this study, we suggest the application of a logistic model to find alternatives for the explored dive sites as a quick and easily applied coastal management tool. Moreover, we find it useful for the implementation of coastal conservation strategies extended to other coastal activities
- Chapter 12 - Modelling the effects of climate change in estuarine ecosystems with coupled hydrodynamic and biogeochemical modelsPublication . Rodrigues, Marta; Oliveira, Anabela; Queiroga, Henrique; Brotas, Vanda; Fortunato, André BustorffEstuaries are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth and provide multiple ecosystem services. They harbor ecologically important habitats for fish, shellfish, and birds and support diverse human activities (e.g., marine transportation, fishing, and tourism). However, climate change, together with the predicted increase of human activities, may increase the hazards in these systems and alter estuarine ecosystems dynamics. Coupled hydrodynamics and biogeochemical numerical models, which jointly simulate the physical, chemical, and biological processes at the relevant spatial and temporal scales, are useful tools to support climate change impact studies on estuarine ecosystems dynamics. A general overview of some well-established coupled hydrodynamic–biogeochemical models is presented and their use to support the study of climate change impacts on estuarine ecosystems is discussed. The use of coupled hydrodynamic–biogeochemical models to support the long-term, climate-adapt management of estuarine ecosystems and the definition of mitigation and adaptation strategies within a climate change context is demonstrated with a case study: the evaluation of climate change impacts in the lower trophic levels dynamics in the Aveiro lagoon using the model ECO-SELFE. Existing coupled hydrodynamic–biogeochemical models already have numerous benefits in climate change impact studies. Future research should improve these models’ capabilities to reduce limitations and uncertainties, in particular those related to the coupled representation of the physical and biological processes and their feedbacks over long time scales.
- Climatic and anthropogenic factors driving water quality variability in a shallow coastal lagoon (Aveiro lagoon, Portugal): 1985–2010 data analysisPublication . Rodrigues, Marta; Queiroga, Henrique; Oliveira, Anabela; Brotas, Vanda; D. Manso, MariaUnderstanding the natural variability of coastal ecosystems, and in particular distinguishing between the natural fluctuations and the ones that are caused by anthropogenic interventions and long-term climatic variability, is a major concern for establishing adequate management and adaptation strategies. The Aveiro lagoon, a shallow coastal lagoon (Portugal), holds one of the largest saltmarshes and saltpans in Europe and is a very important ecosystem from both economic and ecological viewpoints, making the protection of its water masses a requirement. To better understand the variability of its ecosystem, the factors controlling seasonal, inter-annual and long-term variability of the water quality in the Aveiro lagoon were thus analyzed. The statistical analysis was based on a set of climatic, hydrological and water quality observations undertaken between 1985 and 2010. Seasonal variations were mostly related with the seasonal variation of the main climatic and hydrological drivers, while long-term shifts were typically driven by the anthropogenic interventions in the lagoon. After the adoption of secondary treatment for industrial effluents on 1992, a recovery from hypoxia conditions occurred in the upstream area of the lagoon. After 2000 lower concentrations of silicates occurred downstream, and may also derive from some anthropogenic modifications (e.g., shunting of river water to the sewage system, deepening of the inlet) that may have affected the physical dynamics. In the downstream area of the lagoon, chlorophyll a presented a downward trend between 1985 and 2010 and lower concentrations after 2000, which were probably associated with the lower concentrations of silicates. Results from the data analysis showed that the seasonal, inter-annual and long-term trends observed in the Aveiro lagoon depend on the influence of both anthropogenic and climate drivers, putting in evidence the need to combine these different drivers when evaluating and developing management strategies for estuarine ecosystems.
- Effect of Maternal Size, Reproductive Season and Interannual Variability in Offspring Provisioning of Carcinus maenas in a Coastal LagoonPublication . Rey, Felisa; Domingues, M. Rosário M.; Domingues, Pedro; Rosa, Rui; Orgaz, María D. M.; Queiroga, Henrique; Calado, RicardoMaternal effects and larval experience are considered the most important sources of variability in offspring phenotypes in marine invertebrates. Maternal provisioning during oogenesis is the first of a series of processes that will ultimately affect offspring phenotype and population dynamics. The keystone species of several European estuarine environments, Carcinus maenas, was used as a model to analyse the effect of female size and reproductive season on the fatty acid (FA) profile of newly extruded (stage 1) and ready-to-hatch (stage 3) embryos, as proxies for maternal investment and quality of newly hatched larvae, respectively. A total of 60 ovigerous females of two different sizes (carapace width [CW]: small CW <40 mm; large CW ≥40 mm) from Ria de Aveiro (Portugal) were sampled during three different reproductive periods: early reproductive season (ERS, late March/early April) 2012, ERS-2013 and late reproductive season (LRS; July) 2013. Maternal size was not a reliable indicator of maternal provision or larval quality at hatching. The interannual comparison (ERS-2012 vs. ERS-2013) revealed that the FA profile of stage 3 embryos was likely shaped by environmental conditions in the coastal lagoon during incubation. The seasonal comparison (ERS-2013 vs. LRS-2013) showed that embryos in the LRS had higher quality lipid content than embryos in the ERS, suggesting an increase of energetic reserves destined for reproduction in females in the LRS. Studies on maternal investment that overlook temporal variability should be interpreted with caution, especially in species inhabiting highly dynamic environments such as coastal lagoons and estuaries.
- Fatty Acids of Densely Packed Embryos of Carcinus maenas Reveal Homogeneous Maternal Provisioning and No Within-Brood Variation at HatchingPublication . Rey, Felisa; Moreira, Ana S. P.; Ricardo, Fernando; Coimbra, Manuel A.; Domingues, M. Rosário M.; Domingues, Pedro; Rosa, Rui; Queiroga, Henrique; Calado, RicardoEmbryonic development of decapod crustaceans relies on yolk reserves supplied to offspring through maternal provisioning. Unequal partitioning of nutritional reserves during oogenesis, as well as fluctuating environmental conditions during incubation, can be sources of within-brood variability. Ultimately, this potential variability may promote the occurrence of newly hatched larvae with differing yolk reserves and an unequal ability to endure starvation and/or suboptimal feeding during their early pelagic life. The present study evaluated maternal provisioning by analyzing fatty acid (FA) profiles in newly extruded embryos of Carcinus maenas Also assessed were the dynamics of such provisioning during embryogenesis, such as embryo location within the regions of the brooding chamber (left external, left internal, right external, and right internal). The FA profiles surveyed revealed a uniform transfer of maternal reserves from the female to the entire mass of embryos, and homogeneous embryonic development within the brooding chamber. Although C. maenas produces a densely packed mass of embryos that are unevenly distributed within its brooding chamber, this factor is not a source of within-brood variability during incubation. This finding contrasts with data already recorded for larger-sized brachyuran crabs, and suggests that the maternal behavior of C. maenas promotes homogeneous lipid catabolism during embryogenesis.
- Laboratory trials reveal that exposure to extreme raining events prior to metamorphosis affect the post-settlement performance of an estuarine crabPublication . Rey, Felisa; Silva Neto, Gina M.; Rosa, Rui; Queiroga, Henrique; Calado, RicardoMeteorological forcing can impact planktonic communities, with extreme raining events promoting salinity decreases and triggering larval mortality in estuarine plankton. The present study evaluated how exposure to low salinities prior to metamorphosis of Carcinus maenas megalopae (last larval stage) may affect its ability to metamorphose and the post-metamorphosis performance of juvenile crabs. An extreme raining event that promoted a generalized decrease in salinity (from 25 to 10) in the whole water column of one of the main channels of a coastal lagoon was mimicked in the laboratory. Wild megalopae of C. maenas were collected and kept individually without any food at salinities of 10 or 25 (S10 or S25) until they either died or metamorphosed to the first crab instar (C1). Specimens metamorphosing in 5 days or less following their collection were labeled as early settlers (ES10 and ES25), while those taking more than 5 days were labeled as late settlers (LS10 and LS25). All newly metamorphosed crabs were kept individually until C5 at a salinity of 25 and fed ad libitum, with their intermolt periods and carapace width (CW) being recorded. Osmotic stress did not affect the survival or ability to metamorphose of C. maenas megalopae, with 89% of all larvae in both salinities being able to metamorphose. This result is supported by the ability of this larval stage to hyper-regulate. Nonetheless, an exposure of late settling megalopae to low salinities prior to metamorphosis promotes the occurrence of juvenile crabs with a smaller CW. The deleterious effects of exposing late settling megalopae to low salinities appears to be magnified during early benthic life, with C5 originating from treatment LS10 displaying a significantly smaller CW (4.87 ± 0.28 mm) and lower wet weight (WW) (28.95 ± 4.62 mg). On the other side, C5 originating from ES25 exhibited a significantly higher CW (5.90 ± 0.33 mm) and WW (50.89 ± 8.14 mg). The nutritional vulnerability experienced by megalopae starved for longer periods (late settlers) may have been magnified for specimens exposed to a lower salinity, with the energetic costs associated with hyper-regulation negatively affecting the growth performance of juvenile crabs. Osmotic stress experienced by late settling megalopae can shape adult populations of C. maenas by promoting the occurrence of smaller juveniles, thus more vulnerable to predation and cannibalism. Phenotypic links must be incorporated in the study of marine invertebrates, namely when life stages are vulnerable to metereological forcing (e.g., extreme rainfall) at critical periods of their life-cycle (e.g., metamorphosis).
- Trace element fingerprinting of cockle (Cerastoderma edule) shells can reveal harvesting location in adjacent areasPublication . Ricardo, Fernando; Génio, Luciana; Costa Leal, Miguel; Albuquerque, Rui; Queiroga, Henrique; Rosa, Rui; Calado, RicardoDetermining seafood geographic origin is critical for controlling its quality and safeguarding the interest of consumers. Here, we use trace element fingerprinting (TEF) of bivalve shells to discriminate the geographic origin of specimens. Barium (Ba), manganese (Mn), magnesium (Mg), strontium (Sr) and lead (Pb) were quantified in cockle shells (Cerastoderma edule) captured with two fishing methods (by hand and by hand-raking) and from five adjacent fishing locations within an estuarine system (Ria de Aveiro, Portugal). Results suggest no differences in TEF of cockle shells captured by hand or by hand-raking, thus confirming that metal rakes do not act as a potential source of metal contamination that could somehow bias TEF results. In contrast, significant differences were recorded among locations for all trace elements analysed. A Canonical Analysis of Principal Coordinates (CAP) revealed that 92% of the samples could be successfully classified according to their fishing location using TEF. We show that TEF can be an accurate, fast and reliable method to determine the geographic origin of bivalves, even among locations separated less than 1 km apart within the same estuarine system. Nonetheless, follow up studies are needed to determine if TEF can reliably discriminate between bivalves originating from different ecosystems.
- Unravelling polar lipids dynamics during embryonic development of two sympatric brachyuran crabs (Carcinus maenas and Necora puber) using lipidomicsPublication . Rey, Felisa; Alves, Eliana; Melo, Tânia; Domingues, Pedro; Queiroga, Henrique; Rosa, Rui; Domingues, M. Rosário M.; Calado, RicardoEmbryogenesis is an important stage of marine invertebrates with bi-phasic life cycles, as it conditions their larval and adult life. Throughout embryogenesis, phospholipids (PL) play a key role as an energy source, as well as constituents of biological membranes. However, the dynamics of PL during embryogenesis in marine invertebrates is still poorly studied. The present work used a lipidomic approach to determine how polar lipid profiles shift during embryogenesis in two sympatric estuarine crabs, Carcinus maenas and Necora puber. The combination of thin layer chromatography, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry allowed us to achieve an unprecedented resolution on PL classes and molecular species present on newly extruded embryos (stage 1) and those near hatching (stage 3). Embryogenesis proved to be a dynamic process, with four PL classes being recorded in stage 1 embryos (68 molecular species in total) and seven PL classes at stage 3 embryos (98 molecular species in total). The low interspecific difference recorded in the lipidomic profiles of stage 1 embryos appears to indicate the existence of similar maternal investment. The same pattern was recorded for stage 3 embryos revealing a similar catabolism of embryonic resources during incubation for both crab species.