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Projeto de investigação
XtremeVeggies – Edible Halophyte Cultivation using Saline Water and Amended Underused Soils and Sediments
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Germination and sustainable cultivation of succulent halophytes using resources from a degraded estuarine area through soil technologies approaches and saline irrigation water
Publication . Cortinhas, Ana; Ferreira, Teresa; Abreu, Maria Manuela; Caperta, Ana D.
The degradation of estuarine areas has been a growing concern in recent years, as
these ecosystems offer several services. The Arthrocnemum and Suaeda genera produce
useful compounds with various applications, which have led to their overexploitation
in their native habitats. The main goal of this study is to use green
technologies for sustainable cultivation of two species bioindicators of Mediterranean
saltmarshes, Arthrocnemum macrostachyum and Suaeda vera, as an alternative to
their overutilization. A tailored soil (TAIL) was constructed with a Saline Fluvisol
(FLU), from a marginal estuarine area, and organic/inorganic residues were used as
amendments, for plant cultivation. Seeds collected in natural populations were pretreated
with two dormancy-breaking treatments (H2SO4, H2O2) and germinated in
FLU or TAIL. A microcosm assay using FLU or TAIL irrigated with estuarine water
(VF) or three aqueous saline solutions (0, 200, or 400 mmol/L NaCl) was established.
The species obtained a low percentage of seeds' germination being the highest values
under substrate control (water-soaked filter paper). The A. macrostachyum reached
the highest germination percentage when seeds were pretreated with H2SO4 (20%)
while the germination of S. vera was favored by the pretreatment with H2O2 (49%).
Both species had the highest growth in TAIL irrigated with 0 or VF, presenting the
largest stems (13–32 cm), the largest primary branches (3.5–7.2 cm), and the highest
production of aerial part biomass (28–36 g). This study contributes to the sustainable
cultivation of these valuable halophytes and could play an important role in the sustainable
management of marginal estuarine land.
Conservation of a Critically Endangered Endemic Halophyte of West Portugal: A Microcosm Assay to Assess the Potential of Soil Technology for Species Reintroduction
Publication . Cortinhas, Ana; Ferreira, Teresa; Abreu, Maria Manuela; Caperta, Ana D.
The soil system has been frequently overlooked during plant reintroduction planning
and practice since working with soils and plant roots can be difficult, particularly in
saline environments. Coastal saline environments are major contributors to regional
and global biodiversity and an important source of endemic species. However, various
species are in decline or considered threatened, particularly halophytes (salt tolerant)
due to negative anthropic impacts. The Lusitanian endemic halophyte Limonium daveaui
formerly had a large distribution range along the west coast of Portugal but currently
it shows a restricted distribution in the Tagus estuary. Field surveys revealed that this
critically endangered species forms few local populations with small size invaded by
exotic species. In this study, we investigated the potential utilization of Technosols, an
innovative sustainable, ecological engineering method combined with brackish water
irrigation for potential L. daveaui reintroduction in native habitats. Seed germination
percentages were evaluated in different environmental conditions. Through a microcosm
assay, a Technosol was constructed using a saline Fluvisol with a mixture of low
value inorganic and organic wastes, which were chemically characterized. Plants were
cultivated in the Fluvisol and Technosol and irrigated with brackish water collected in
the nearby area. To assess plant growth, morphometric parameters and the plants’
physiological status were assessed and the fresh and dry biomass determined. Results
showed that seed germination was higher on moist filter paper with distilled water
than in Fluvisol or Technosol. Plants grown in Technosol had a greater development,
with higher values of photosynthetic indexes and biomass production than in Fluvisol.
Our findings provide a basis for future in situ conservation studies and support the
idea that eco-friendly soil technology approaches are beneficial to conserve rare
halophyte species.
Xtremeveggies - Halophyte cultivation using saline water and amended underused soils and sediments
Publication . Cortinhas, Ana Lúcia Teixeira; Abreu, Maria Manuela Silva Nunes Reis; Caperta, Ana Cristina Riepenhausen Delaunay; Custódio, Luísa Margarida Batista
ABSTRACT - The estuarine ecosystems are among the most productive, but also among the most threatened ecosystems. This PhD project arise as a response to two questions raised by society, which reflect two environmental problems in an estuarine context: the deposition of aquaculture sediments around the ponds, contributing to the degradation of a saltmarsh area in the Guadiana estuary; and an abandoned and degraded saltmarsh area, mainly due to the industrial activity, in the Tagus estuary. This thesis develops an answer to these two environmental issues based on Sustainable Development Goals: waste reutilisation to a circular economy, halt of biodiversity loss, develop agricultural practices to protect freshwater and contribute to the recovery of degraded areas. Sediments proprieties of aquaculture ponds in the Guadiana estuary and Fluvisol properties from the Tagus estuary were improved using organic and inorganic wastes from local activities: agriculture (substrate used in the strawberry crop, pruning wastes) and/or industries (distilleries, breweries), allowing reutilisation of these wastes that would be disposable. Contributing to the species and estuarine ecosystems conservation, the Technosols constructed with the sediments/Fluvisol permitted the cultivation of native plants, which contribute to the estuaries’ stabilisation, some of them endemics, threatened and/or have an economic potential: A. macrostachyum, L. algarvense, L. daveaui, e S. vera. Since these species are halophytes, high NaCl concentrations tolerant, they also were able to grow and develop under irrigation with water from the respective estuary (Guadiana or Tagus), being this methodology a freshwater protection cultivation technique. Altogether these measures may constitute the first step in the recovery of these degraded salt marsh areas in the Guadiana and Tagus estuaries
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Entidade financiadora
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Programa de financiamento
OE
Número da atribuição
SFRH/BD/130256/2017