cE3c - Artigos em Revistas Internacionais
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- Unraveling the microbiome dynamics of the invasive Acacia longifolia: a closer look at seeds and nodulesPublication . Jesus, Joana; Anjos, Andreia; Máguas, C.; Trindade, HelenaAcacia longifolia, a species native to Australia, is an aggressive invasive in Mediterranean-type ecosystems worldwide. Its success in diverse habitats, expanding from coastal dunes to forests, is often attributed to its ability to establish interactions with a variety of microbes, including bacteria and fungi. This study investigates the seed and root-nodule microbiomes of A. longifolia to understand the roles these microbial communities play in its adaptation and invasive behaviour. Using high-throughput sequencing, we characterized the bacteriome and mycobiome associated with the plant, considering nodules and seeds, and the surrounding soil in three different locations in Portugal with different climate conditions (North, Center and South), and a comparison between two different habitats (Dune versus Forest). Our results reveal a dynamic interaction between A. longifolia and its microbial partners, supporting the importance of these plant-microbe interactions in nutrient acquisition and stress tolerance for A. longifolia, ultimately leading to their impact in an invaded ecosystem. The seed microbiome of A. longifolia was less diverse than for nodules but with more functions assigned, while nodules showed a broader diversity, assigned to more specific functions. Here we provide evidence for the role of seed microbiota in germination and seed-to-seedling transition along with the beneficial role of nodulation in development and seedling-to-sapling switch. We also propose a local signature for microbial communities as we found a dissimilarity in microbial partners when considering habitat, with dune communities showing a functional plasticity, aiding A. longifolia to cope in such nutrient-limiting environment. For forests, functions more related with plant and microbe associations are evidenced, possibly facilitating interspecific competition. These findings contribute to an understanding of the plant-microbe interactions and dynamics that underpin A. longifolia ecological success as an invasive plant.
- Azorean Cryptomeria japonica immature female cones essential oil: Effect of hydrodistillation fractionation on the chemical composition and in vitro antifungal activity against Thielaviopsis paradoxaPublication . Arruda, Filipe; Lima, Ana; Janeiro, Alexandre; Rodrigues, Tânia; Baptista, José; Rosa, José S.; Machado, Alexandra; Figueiredo, Ana Cristina; Lima, ElisabeteCryptomeria japonica's wood production in Azores generates large amounts of underutilized biomass residues, such as immature female cones (Az–CJIFC), that can be used to produce essential oils (EOs). Hydrodistillation (HD) can be used both to obtain and to fractionate EOs. In this study, EOs from Az–CJIFC, grinded (GR) and non-grinded (NGr) fresh samples, were obtained via HD over 4 h, yielding 1.0 % and 0.5 %, w/w, respectively. Thus, GR Az–CJIFC was chosen to obtain six EO fractions (Frs. 1–6), collected at sequential HD timeframes (HDTs: 0–2, 2–10, 10–30, 30–60, 60–120, and 120–240 min). The obtained EO samples (crude EOs and fractions) were evaluated for their chemical composition (GC–FID/GC–MS analyses) and antifungal activity (micro-atmosphere method) against phytopathogenic fungi (Penicillium italicum, P. digitatum and Thielaviopsis paradoxa). Results indicated that all samples were active only towards T. paradoxa, however, with a differential efficacy, due to their specific composition. Fraction 4 vapor treatment displayed the strongest activity, but lower than that of (–)-terpinen-4-ol, a key oxygen-containing monoterpene (OCM) of Az–CJIFC EO, peaking its concentration in Fr3 (14.5 %) and Fr4 (13.8 %). This latter fraction was the richest in the OCM α-terpineol (a minor Az–CJIFC EOs' component). On the other hand, Frs.1–3 and EOs were dominated by monoterpene hydrocarbons (65.0–96.5 %), mainly α-pinene (19.0–28.4 %) and sabinene (19.9–50.5 %), while Frs.5 and 6 were the richest in oxygen-containing sesquiterpenes (47.1–70.8 %; chiefly elemol plus α-, β- and γ-eudesmol) and diterpene hydrocarbons (5.2–6.4 %; mostly phyllocladene). In conclusion, new high value-added products can now be targeted in Az–CJIFC EO by adjusting the HDT, with potential importance in pineapple fruit black rot disease management caused by T. paradoxa on Ananas comosus in the Azores, and also contributing for the local C. japonica’s EO industry development and sustainable circular bio-economy.
- Tree and landscape characteristics outweigh insect abundance in driving bat activity in West African rice fieldsPublication . Fernandes, Gonçalo A.; Massaad, Mark; Chaves, Patrícia; Rainho, AnaThe urgent need to sustainably feed a growing human population is particularly pressing in tropical regions where food security remains uncertain. Ecological intensification strategies, such as integrating nature-based solutions, can help achieve this goal by leveraging ecosystem services. Isolated trees in agricultural landscapes play a vital role in enhancing productivity and biodiversity, supporting organisms like insectivorous bats that provide pest control services. The implementation of measures to strengthen insectivorous bat populations holds significant potential to increase insect predation, suppress agricultural pests, and improve food security. Understanding how tree characteristics and surrounding landscapes influence bat foraging activity in staple tropical crops is thus essential. This study investigated how isolated trees influence the activity of bats and insects in smallholder rice fields in Guinea-Bissau. Specifically, we evaluated how tree characteristics and landscape features affect bat guild activity, insect abundance, and richness, as well as the indirect effects of insects on bats. Our findings indicate that larger, isolated trees of specific species located closer to other trees but further from wooded edges are associated with increased bat activity and richness, mediated partly by higher insect abundance. These results emphasise the ecological and agricultural importance of isolated trees in promoting biodiversity and enhancing pest suppression in agricultural landscapes.
- Dynamics of post fire plant community assembly in Doñana coastal dunesPublication . Chozas, Sergio; Mira, André F.; Serrano, Manuel; Medina, Nagore G.; Hortal, Joaquín; Díaz-Barradas, María CruzFire significantly contributes to the distribution, composition, and functioning of ecosystems. It is also among the most damaging disturbances, exacerbated by increasing fire intensity and extent due to climate change. However, some ecosystems, like Mediterranean scrublands, recover quickly due to species’ adaptations to frequent fire regimes. This study investigates the community assembly processes during a secondary succession following the fire in a dune system within Doñana Natural Park, Southern Spain. To achieve this, three shrub communities were characterised along a coast-to-inland gradient over two consecutive years using a Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling ordination. Then, a set of ecophysiological and structural traits of the dominant shrub species were analysed through a Principal Component Analysis, and correlation analyses were performed to assess the relationships between the three communities and the studied traits. Finally, to investigate the spatial structure of the shrub communities, a co-occurrence network was constructed and Moran’s I analyses were conducted. The results revealed that natural secondary succession has restored shrub communities along the gradient to states similar to those existing before the fire, indicating a consistent recovery pattern. Although species composition was comparable across zones, community spatial structure and several traits varied from coastal to interior areas, with more complex co-occurrence networks observed inland. Overall, the results underline the significance of environmental filters and species interactions in shaping community assembly during secondary succession after fire. Furthermore, they highlight that post fire community responses can be predicted through mechanisms linking the regional species pool, regeneration traits, and physical heterogeneity.
- Competition for food affects the strength of reproductive interference and its consequences for species coexistencePublication . Cruz, Miguel A.; Godoy, Oscar; De mendonça fragata almeida, Inês; Sousa, Vitor C; Magalhães, Sara; Zélé, FloreCompetition for food and reproductive interference (negative interspecific sexual interactions) have been identified as major drivers of species exclusion. Still, how these biotic interactions jointly determine competitive dominance remains largely unknown. We tackle this by coupling population models and laboratory experiments with two sibling species of spider mites. Using experiments specifically designed to measure the single and combined effects of food competition and reproductive interference, we first show that the strength and symmetry of reproductive interference between species changes in the presence of food competition. Next, we show that population models incorporating each type of interaction alone lead to markedly different predictions, from systematic exclusion of one of the two species under food competition to priority effects instead favouring this same species (the inferior competitor for food) under the sole effect of reproductive interference. Moreover, accounting for the observed reduction in the strength of reproductive interference in the presence of food competition changes the threshold frequency determining the dominant competitor when both interactions are at play, from equal chances for the two species to exclude the other depending on their initial frequency to favouring the superior competitor for food except when it is extremely rare. Finally, we showed that the model generates accurate predictions for population dynamics in an independent population cage experiment, indicating that our approach captures the most relevant processes governing the outcomes of interactions between competing spider mite species. Altogether, our results suggest that trophic interactions can modulate sexual interactions, significantly impacting population dynamics and competitive outcomes. Hence, the joint consideration of food competition and reproductive interference is critical to accurately predict and understand species coexistence.
- Amphibian and reptile dataset across different land-use types in Guinea-Bissau, West AfricaPublication . dos Reis-Silva, Francisco; Alves-Martins, Fernanda; Martínez-Arribas, Javier; Pizzigalli, Cristian; Seck, Sambu; Rainho, Ana; Rocha, Ricardo; Palmeirim, Ana FilipaWest Africa is exceptionally biodiverse, yet its wildlife remains largely understudied despite the rapid and ongoing land-use changes. Large swaths of Guinea-Bissau’s landscape were historically characterised by native forest-savannah mosaics. However, key areas of savannah habitats have been converted to rice agroecosystems and forests are being transformed into cashew monocultures at unprecedented rates. Amphibians and reptiles comprise some of the most threatened species by human-induced habitat change and yet are not as studied as other vertebrate terrestrial taxa. Here, we provide two comprehensive datasets on amphibians and reptiles (classes Testudines and Squamata) from northern Guinea-Bissau: (1) a standardised survey dataset (encompassing sampling events and occurrences) in forest fragments, cashew orchards and rice paddies and (2) an opportunistic dataset reporting occurrences across the entire study area. Standardised surveys were carried across 21 sampling sites, seven in each habitat type, while opportunistic surveys include all other records. For standardised surveys, a total of 703 amphibian and 265 reptile (class Squamata) encounters are reported, corresponding to nine and 13 taxa, respectively. Opportunistically, we report 62 amphibian and 93 reptile encounters, corresponding to 10 amphibian taxa, 25 Squamata taxa and two turtles (class Testudines).
- Worldwide Soundscapes: A Synthesis of Passive Acoustic Monitoring Across RealmsPublication . Darras, Kevin F. A.; Rountree, Rodney A.; Van Wilgenburg, Steven L.; Cord, Anna F.; Pitz, Frederik; Chen, Youfang; Dong, Lijun; Rocquencourt, Agnès; Desjonquères, Camille; Diaz, Patrick Mauritz; Lin, Tzu‐Hao; Turco, Théophile; Emmerson, Louise; Bradfer‐Lawrence, Tom; Gasc, Amandine; Marley, Sarah; Salton, Marcus; Schillé, Laura; Wensveen, Paul J.; Wu, Shih‐Hung; Acero‐Murcia, Adriana C.; Acevedo‐Charry, Orlando; Adam, Matyáš; Aguzzi, Jacopo; Akoglu, Irmak; Amorim, M. Clara P.; Anders, Mina; André, Michel; Antonelli, Alexandre; Do Nascimento, Leandro Aparecido; Appel, Giulliana; Archer, Stephanie; Astaras, Christos; Atemasov, Andrey; Atkinson, Jamieson; Attia, Joël; Baltag, Emanuel; Barbaro, Luc; Basan, Fritjof; Batist, Carly; Baumgarten, Julio Ernesto; Bayle Sempere, Just T.; Bellisario, Kristen; David, Asaf Ben; Berger‐Tal, Oded; Bertucci, Frédéric; Betts, Matthew G.; Bhalla, Iqbal S.; Bicudo, Thiago; Bolgan, Marta; Bombaci, Sara; Bota, Gerard; Boullhesen, Martin; Briers, Robert A.; Buchan, Susannah; Budka, Michal; Burchard, Katie; Buscaino, Giuseppa; Calvente, Alice; Campos‐Cerqueira, Marconi; Gonçalves, Maria Isabel Carvalho; Ceraulo, Maria; Cerezo‐Araujo, Maite; Cerwén, Gunnar; Chaskda, Adams A.; Chistopolova, Maria; Clark, Christopher W.; Cox, Kieran D.; Cretois, Benjamin; Czarnecki, Chapin; da Silva, Luis P.; da Silva, Wigna; De Clippele, Laurence H.; de la Haye, David; de Oliveira Tissiani, Ana Silvia; de Zwaan, Devin; Degano, M. Eugenia; Deichmann, Jessica; del Rio, Joaquin; Devenish, Christian; Díaz‐Delgado, Ricardo; Diniz, Pedro; Oliveira‐Júnior, Dorgival Diógenes; Dorigo, Thiago; Dröge, Saskia; Duarte, Marina; Duarte, Adam; Dunleavy, Kerry; Dziak, Robert; Elise, Simon; Enari, Hiroto; Enari, Haruka S.; Erbs, Florence; Eriksson, Britas Klemens; Ertör‐Akyazi, Pınar; Ferrari, Nina C.; Ferreira, Luane; Fleishman, Abram B.; Fonseca, Paulo; Freitas, Bárbara; Friedman, Nicholas R.; Froidevaux, Jérémy S. P.; Gogoleva, Svetlana; Gonzaga, Carolina; Correa, José Miguel González; Goodale, Eben; Gottesman, Benjamin; Grass, Ingo; Greenhalgh, Jack; Gregoire, Jocelyn; Haché, Samuel; Hagge, Jonas; Halliday, William; Hammer, Antonia; Hanf‐Dressler, Tara; Haupert, Sylvain; Haver, Samara; Heath, Becky; Hending, Daniel; Hernandez‐Blanco, Jose; Higgs, Dennis; Hiller, Thomas; Huang, Joe Chun‐Chia; Hutchinson, Katie Lois; Hyacinthe, Carole; Ieronymidou, Christina; Iniunam, Iniunam A.; Jackson, Janet; Jacot, Alain; Jahn, Olaf; Juanes, Francis; Kanes, K. S. Jasper; Kenchington, Ellen; Kepfer‐Rojas, Sebastian; Kitzes, Justin; Kusuminda, Tharaka; Lehnardt, Yael; Lei, Jialin; Leitman, Paula; León, José; Li, Deng; Lima‐Santos, Cicero Simão; Lloyd, Kyle John; Looby, Audrey; López‐Baucells, Adrià; López‐Bosch, David; Louth‐Robins, Tristan; Maeda, Tatiana; Malige, Franck; Mammides, Christos; Marcacci, Gabriel; Markolf, Matthias; Marques, Marinez Isaac; Martin, Charles W.; Martin, Dominic A.; Martin, Kathy; McArthur, Ellen; McKown, Matthew; McLeod, Logan J. T.; Médoc, Vincent; Metcalf, Oliver; Meyer, Christoph F. J.; Mikusinski, Grzegorz; Miller, Brian; Monteiro, João; Mooney, T. Aran; Moreira, Sérgio; Sugai, Larissa Sayuri Moreira; Morris, Dave; Müller, Sandra; Muñoz‐Duque, Sebastian; Murchy, Kelsie A.; Nagelkerken, Ivan; Mas, Maria; Nouioua, Rym; Ocampo‐Ariza, Carolina; Olden, Julian D.; Oppel, Steffen; Osiecka, Anna N.; Papale, Elena; Parsons, Miles; Pashkevich, Michael; Patris, Julie; Marques, João Pedro; Pérez‐Granados, Cristian; Piatti, Liliana; Pichorim, Mauro; Pine, Matthew K.; Pinheiro, Thiago; Pradervand, Jean‐Nicolas; Quinn, John; Quintella, Bernardo; Radford, Craig; Raick, Xavier; Rainho, Ana; Ramalho, Emiliano; Ramesh, Vijay; Rétaux, Sylvie; Reynolds, Laura K.; Riede, Klaus; Rimmer, Talen; Ríos, Noelia; Rocha, Ricardo; Rocha, Luciana; Roe, Paul; Ross, Samuel R. P.‐J.; Rosten, Carolyn M.; Ryan, John; Salustio‐Gomes, Carlos; Samarra, Filipa I. P.; Samartzis, Philip; Santos, José; Sattler, Thomas; Scharffenberg, Kevin; Schoeman, Renée P.; Schuchmann, Karl‐Ludwig; Sebastián‐González, Esther; Seibold, Sebastian; Sethi, Sarab; Shabangu, Fannie W.; Shaw, Taylor; Shen, Xiaoli; Singer, David; Širović, Ana; Slater, Matthew; Spriel, Brittnie; Stanley, Jenni; Sueur, Jérôme; da Cunha Tavares, Valeria; Thomisch, Karolin; Thorn, Simon; Tong, Jianfeng; Torrent, Laura; Traba, Juan; Tremblay, Junior A.; Trevelin, Leonardo; Tseng, Sunny; Tuanmu, Mao‐Ning; Valverde, Marisol; Vernasco, Ben; Vieira, Manuel; da Paz, Raiane Vital; Ward, Matthew; Watson, Maryann; Weldy, Matthew J.; Wiel, Julia; Willie, Jacob; Wood, Heather; Xu, Jinshan; Zhou, Wenyi; Li, Songhai; Sousa‐Lima, Renata; Wanger, Thomas ChericoAim The urgency for remote, reliable and scalable biodiversity monitoring amidst mounting human pressures on ecosystems has sparked worldwide interest in Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM), which can track life underwater and on land. However, we lack a unified methodology to report this sampling effort and a comprehensive overview of PAM coverage to gauge its potential as a global research and monitoring tool. To address this gap, we created the Worldwide Soundscapes project, a collaborative network and growing database comprising metadata from 416 datasets across all realms (terrestrial, marine, freshwater and subterranean). Location Worldwide, 12,343 sites, all ecosystem types. Time Period 1991 to present. Major Taxa Studied All soniferous taxa. Methods We synthesise sampling coverage across spatial, temporal and ecological scales using metadata describing sampling locations, deployment schedules, focal taxa and audio recording parameters. We explore global trends in biological, anthropogenic and geophysical sounds based on 168 selected recordings from 12 ecosystems across all realms. Results Terrestrial sampling is spatially denser (46 sites per million square kilometre—Mkm2) than aquatic sampling (0.3 and 1.8 sites/Mkm2 in oceans and fresh water) with only two subterranean datasets. Although diel and lunar cycles are well sampled across realms, only marine datasets (55%) comprehensively sample all seasons. Across the 12 ecosystems selected for exploring global acoustic trends, biological sounds showed contrasting diel patterns across ecosystems, declined with distance from the Equator, and were negatively correlated with anthropogenic sounds. Main Conclusions PAM can inform macroecological studies as well as global conservation and phenology syntheses, but representation can be improved by expanding terrestrial taxonomic scope, sampling coverage in the high seas and subterranean ecosystems, and spatio-temporal replication in freshwater habitats. Overall, this worldwide PAM network holds promise to support cross-realm biodiversity research and monitoring efforts.
- ”Is This Real Learning or Just Game Fantasy?”: Striking a balance between fiction and education in teaching viral infections through digital gamePublication . Vale Costa, Liliana; Proença, Frederico; Arnab, Sylvester; Nogueira, Teresa; Duarte, Margaridaunderscored the importance of using effective communication strategies to educate the public about outbreaks. While reinforcing education to prepare for future health threats is crucial, integrating viral infection awareness into learning presents challenges, especially for younger individuals who may lack the foundational knowledge to grasp the importance of this issue. While traditional education methods may struggle to engage this audience, games offer a promising medium for effectively transferring knowledge. By blending learning with play, games can make complex topics more accessible and engaging. However, this approach is not without its difficulties. Ensuring accuracy and maintaining a balance between educational content and fictional elements is crucial, as misrepresentations can be easily amplified in media, leading to misunderstanding rather than enlightenment. This paper discusses a case study of the game "Mutation Madness," which involved twenty-six experts in both game design and microbiology, providing valuable insights into the intricate process of balancing fiction with learning in educational games. The findings underscore the importance of involving scientists from the outset—particularly during the requirement definition phase, as well as in shaping the game's narrative and content. Their input ensured that gameplay elements remained grounded in scientific accuracy. For the specific goal of teaching about viral infections, the use of physical-life models to depict organism interactions, combined with a cause-and-effect approach, demonstrated to be an effective strategy. By incorporating repetitive mechanics within these fictional scenarios, the game successfully reinforced key learning outcomes without overwhelming the players with excessive complexity.
- Persistence of Listeria monocytogenes in food processing environments: challenges and future directionsPublication . Domingues, Célia P. F.; Almeida, Gonçalo; Teixeira, Paula; Nogueira, TeresaListeriosis, caused by Listeria monocytogenes, remains one of the most serious foodborne illness in high-income countries, despite its rarity. This paper addresses the challenge of persistent L. monocytogenes in food processing environments, which leads to significant public health and economic impacts. We examine the persistence mechanisms of L. monocytogenes, focusing on natural selection due to disinfectant use, genetic drift from periodic population bottlenecks, and recolonization from non-food contact areas. Our analysis highlights the interplay of these dynamics in shaping L. monocytogenes populations, emphasizing that genetic drift plays a crucial role in persistence. Understanding these dynamics is essential for developing targeted strategies to mitigate the risks posed by persistent L. monocytogenes strains, thereby enhancing food safety and public health
- Advances in whole genome sequencing for foodborne pathogens: implications for clinical infectious disease surveillance and public healthPublication . Gomes, Emílio; Araújo, Daniela; Nogueira, Teresa; Oliveira, Ricardo; Silva, Sónia; Oliveira, Lorena V. N.; Azevedo, Nuno F.; Almeida, Carina; Castro, JoanaFoodborne outbreaks affecting millions of people worldwide are a significant and growing global health threat, exacerbated by the emergence of new and increasingly virulent foodborne pathogens. Traditional methods of detecting these outbreaks, including culture-based techniques, serotyping and molecular methods such as real time PCR, are still widely used. However, these approaches often lack the precision andresolutionrequiredtodefinitively trace the source of an outbreak and distinguish between closely related strains of pathogens. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) has emerged as a revolutionary tool in outbreak investigations, providing high-resolution, comprehensive genetic data that allows accurate species identification and strain differentiation. WGS also facilitates the detection of virulence and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes, providing critical insight into the potential pathogenicity, treatment/control options and risks of spreading foodborne pathogens. This capability enhances outbreak surveillance, source tracing and risk assessment, making WGS an increasingly integrated component of public health surveillance systems. Despite its advantages, the widespread implementation of WGS faces several pressing challenges, including high sequencing costs, the need for specialized bioinformatics expertise, limited computational infrastructure in resource-constrained settings, and the standardization of data-sharing frameworks across regulatory and public health agencies. Addressing these barriers is crucial to maximizing the impact of WGS on foodborne disease surveillance. Even so, WGS is emerging as a vital tool in food safety and public health, and its potential to become thegoldstandard inoutbreakdetectionhasbeen recognizedbypublichealth authorities in the USA, the European Union, Australia and China, for example. This review highlights the role of WGS in foodborne outbreak investigations, its implementation challenges, and its impact on public health surveillance.