RCAAP Repository

Procedimentos de conservação preventiva nas reservas da Coleção da Caixa Geral de Depósitos e transferência do Acervo

The main objective of this project is to characterize the Caixa Geral de Depósitos’ storage rooms, where its art collection remained between 2008 and 2021, as well as to document the preparatory work for its transfer to the new facilities located in the headquarters building of this banking institution. This report begins with a brief presentation of the collection, with reference to its creation and the guidelines for the acquisition criteria. Storage rooms are characterized, by identifying the main factors of degradation and the preventive conservation measures and procedures adopted regarding space maintenance, characteristics of storage equipment, packaging, and other preservation procedures. On this theoretical/practical approach there has been included the preparatory work for the collection transfer, along with a description of the adopted methodologies regarding the objects’ reorganization on the equipment and on the new space, the disposition of this equipment in the new storage rooms, as well as the packaging identification for the transfer and the methodologies and materials adopted for different objects. Finally, the new storage rooms design evolution is presented, along with a brief characterization of the space, taking into account that, for technical reasons due to the context of the measures adopted to control the COVID-19 pandemic, the transfer did not occur until this report has been submitted. The present report is relevant for the institution, as it documents the period in which the Collection remained in the old facilities and the procedures for its transfer, and it aims to be regarded as future memory for this collection’s history.

Year

2025-10-28T12:25:54Z

Creators

Conceição, Maria Manuel Benvindo da

Composition and diversity of bat assemblages at Arabuko-Sokoke Forest and the adjacent farmlands, Kenya

Recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot, coastal forests in eastern Africa are currently reduced to fragments amidst human modified habitats. Managing for biodiversity depends on our understanding of how many and which species can persist in these modified areas. Aiming at clarifying how habitat structure changes affect bat assemblage composition and richness, we used ground-level mist nets at Arabuko-Sokoke Forest (ASF) and adjacent farmlands. Habitat structure was assessed using the point-centered quarter (PCQ) method at 210 points per habitat. We captured a total of 24 bat species (ASF: 19, farmlands: 23) and 5217 individuals (ASF: 19.1%, farmlands: 82.9%). Bat diversity was higher at ASF (H′, ASF: 1.48 ± 0.2, farm: 1.33 ± 0.1), but bat richness and abundance were higher in farmlands [Chao1, ASF: 19 (19–25), farmlands: 24 (24–32) species (95% confidence interval [CI])]. Understory vegetation and canopy cover were highest at ASF and the lower bat richness and abundance observed may be the result of the under-sampling of many clutter tolerant and high flying species. Future surveys should combine different methods of capture and acoustic surveys to comprehensively sample bats at ASF. Nonetheless, the rich bat assemblages observed in farmlands around ASF should be valued and landowners encouraged to maintain orchards on their farms.

Year

2025-10-28T12:22:21Z

Creators

Musila, Simon Gichuki, Nathan Castro-Arellano, Ivan Rainho, Ana

The value of eco-volunteer projects for biodiversity conservation - butterfly monitoring in Krka National Park (Croatia) with an updated checklist

The biogeographical importance of Dalmatia, bordered by the Dinaric Alps and the Adriatic Sea, is evident through the rich biodiversity of this region and its network of protected areas. One of those areas, Krka National Park (NP), supports a wide range of natural habitats, but rapidly increasing tourism puts high pressure on its ecosystems, despite its protected status. Accurate knowledge of species and their distributions within natural places such as Krka is essential to direct and prioritize future conservation efforts. As collecting biodiversity data is time and resource-intensive, alternative ways to obtain this information are needed. One possibility is monitoring based on eco-volunteering. From June to August of 2019, an Operation Wallacea/BIOTA scientific team surveyed a section of Krka NP and its surrounding boundaries, within the vicinity of the village of Puljane, to study its butterfly richness and abundance. Pollard walks and static count surveys were conducted with the help of eco-volunteers, testing the effectiveness of gathering field data through this approach. Overall, 57 butterfly species were found throughout the study, including four new records for Krka NP. Three further new species for the park were detected close to its boundaries and are also expected to occur within its borders. Here, we present an updated butterfly checklist for Krka NP, highlighting the positive impact of eco-volunteering initiatives and the importance of combined research efforts to study and protect the rich biodiversity and ecosystems of protected areas.

Year

2025-10-28T12:25:13Z

Creators

Simões Nunes, Miguel Falconer, Kristie Jelić, Dušan Martin, Thomas Kučinić, Mladen Jocque, Merlijn

Preservation treatment of fresh raspberries by e-beam irradiation

E-beam irradiation was studied as a post-harvest treatment for red raspberries (Rubus idaeus L.). Microbial inactivation (natural microbiota and potential pathogenic bacteria) and bioactive properties (phenolic content, vitamin C content and antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity) of these fruits were evaluated before and after irradiation and during storage of 14 days at 4 °C. A reduction of 2 log CFU/g of mesophilic bacteria and 3 log CFU/g on filamentous fungi, and no detection of foodborne inoculated pathogens (3 log CFU/g) was achieved with an e-beam treatment at 3 kGy and during 7 days of refrigerated storage. Regarding bioactive properties, the results suggested that irradiation could preserve the phenolic content and antioxidant activity of raspberries through 7 days of cold storage, even though a decrease of 80% on ascorbic acid concentration was observed. Furthermore, no in vitro inhibitory effect on human cells lines was observed for the extracts from e-beam-treated raspberries. The overall results suggested that use of e-beam irradiation as post-harvest treatment of raspberries as an emergent, clean and environmental friendly process to extend the shelf-life of this fruit with safety and preservation of bioactivity.

Year

2025-10-28T12:11:02Z

Creators

Elias, M.I. Madureira, J. Santos, P.M.P. Carolino, M.M Margaça, F.M.A. Cabo Verde, S.

Inquiry-based science learning in the context of a continuing professional development programme for biology teachers

The purpose of this study was to examine if teachers who participated in a continuous professional development (CPD) programme were able to develop an understanding of inquiry-based science education (IBSE). The CPD programme was designed to IBSE in both formal and informal, Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) contexts, to discuss its role as a tool to improve pedagogic practises in science teaching and to explore the application of the method in teaching biodiversity and climate change. A qualitative design using pre- and post-programme questionnaires was used to investigate teachers’ understanding and classroom implementation of inquiry. Evolution of teachers’ practises were also evaluated during the different steps of CPD course and served as a checking and a remind of what is really an authentic scientific inquiry. The results of two-year independent courses suggest that the CPD programme appeared beneficial in resolving teaching misconceptions about IBSE. Teachers were able to experience, evaluate and reflect on their own practise. At the end, they developed new approaches to apply scientific inquiry while teaching biodiversity and climate change in the context of their own classrooms.

Year

2025-10-28T12:28:07Z

Creators

Martins-Loução, Maria Amélia Gaio-Oliveira, Gisela Barata, Raquel Carvalho, Nuno

Inoculation with the endophytic bacterium Herbaspirillum seropedicae promotes growth, nutrient uptake and photosynthetic efficiency in rice

Main conclusion: Higher vacuolar proton pump activity may increase plant energy and nutrient use efficiency and provide the nexus between plant inoculation with Herbaspirillum seropedicae and growth promotion. Abstract: Global change and growing human population are exhausting arable land and resources, including water and fertilizers. We present inoculation with the endophytic plant-growth promoting bacterium (PGPB) Herbaspirillum seropedicae as a strategy for promoting growth, nutrient uptake and photosynthetic efficiency in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Because plant nutrient acquisition is coordinated with photosynthesis and the plant carbon status, we hypothesize that inoculation with H. seropedicae will stimulate proton (H+) pumps, increasing plant growth nutrient uptake and photosynthetic efficiency at low nutrient levels. Plants were inoculated and grown in pots with sterile soil for 90 days. Herbaspirillum seropedicae endophytic colonization was successful and, as hypothesized, inoculation (1) stimulated root vacuolar H+ pumps (vacuolar H+-ATPase and vacuolar H+-PPase), and (2) increased plant growth, nutrient contents and photosynthetic efficiency. The results showed that inoculation with the endophytic bacterium H. seropedicae can promote plant growth, nutrient uptake and photosynthetic efficiency, which will likely result in a more efficient use of resources (nutrients and water) and higher production of nutrient-rich food at reduced economic and environmental costs.

Year

2025-10-28T12:14:42Z

Creators

Ramos, Alessandro C. Melo, Juliana de Souza, Sávio B. Bertolazi, Amanda A. Silva, Renderson A. Rodrigues, Weverton P. Campostrini, Eliemar Olivares, Fábio L. Eutrópio, Frederico J. Cruz, Cristina Dias, Teresa

Reflexos do antigo Egipto na literatura portuguesa do século XIX

O antigo Egipto foi sendo apreciado pelos Europeus desde a Antiguidade clássica. Este fascínio, sentido especialmente pela sua arte e costumes religiosos, proporcionou o aparecimento de uma arte com reminiscências egípcias e de tratados que se propunham decifrar a escrita hieroglífica. A expedição militar organizada por Napoleão Bonaparte ao Egipto, entre os anos de 1798 e 1802, possibilitou ao Ocidente uma nova redescoberta desse país misterioso. A publicação da obra Description de l'Egypte terá motivado um crescente interesse pelo antigo Egipto, patenteado no desejo, cada vez maior, em obter antiguidades egípcias e no aparecimento da ciência egiptológica, fundada por Jean-François Champollion. A par da restante Europa, o nosso país também se interessou pela egiptomania e pela egiptologia, embora mais modestamente. No século XIX, a introdução em Portugal de um certo gosto pelo Egipto faraónico poderá ser observada tanto em alguns motivos artísticos como em algumas colecções particulares. No âmbito literário, a imagem do Egipto parece ter sido formada principalmente através da leitura de publicações estrangeiras, algumas pertencentes a pessoas directamente relacionadas com a egiptologia da época, mas também através das experiências vividas durante as visitas que alguns fizeram ao país do Nilo. Assim, apesar dos intelectuais portugueses estarem menos envolvidos nas temáticas egiptológicas, o Egipto por eles divulgado não seria muito dissemelhante da realidade imaginativa e cultural da Europa oitocentista.

Year

2025-10-28T12:20:48Z

Creators

Silva, Andreia Cunha da

MOS - Model Output Statistics: aplicação a previsões MM5 de curto prazo em Portugal Continental

The need to predict the weather accurantely is one of the oldest dreams of mankind. In recent decades there has been significant progress in weather forecasting models. However, the models have systematic errors that may be corrected with the application of linear statistical models, from the accumulated statistics of a particular model prediction. These corrective models have the generic name of MOS (Model Output Statistics). The linear version of the MOS is based on the use of multilinear regressions. In this study, there were made predictions MOS within 24 hours, for the variables of temperature and horizontal components of the wind, using the 61 stations of the network of Portuguese Institute of Meteorology. The model equations were obtained with a stepwise regression or step-by-step, up to five predictors and assessed by cross-validation. The pre-selected predictors were forecasts of MM5 model (The Fifth-Generation NCAR / Penn State Mesoscale Model (MM5)) and observations available at the release of the forecast. The results show an improvement in the mean square error of 60% in the temperature forecasting and 80% in the horizontal components of the wind forecasting, related to the results of the forecast, in 24 hours, by the numerical model MM5. In terms of forecasts of 48 and 72 hours, the application of the model improves MOS of 70% of the MM5 forecasts for the three variables. These results motivate the operational use of this method and its development for other predictive variables.

Year

2025-10-28T12:12:52Z

Creators

Marujo, Raquel Alexandra Pratas

High interannual variability of a climate-driven amphibian community in a seasonal rainforest

Seasonality exerts strong pressures on biodiversity patterns. Yet, temporal beta-diversity is poorly studied in tropical systems, and the drivers of variability in amphibian activity and seasonality remain largely unknown. We quantified intra- and interannual variation in temporal beta-diversity relying on a nine-year, year-round survey (51 species, n > 23,000) performed in a protected area (Betampona, Madagascar). We assessed the dependence on climate of beta-diversity and abundance using a distance-based redundancy analysis and generalised linear mixed models, respectively. Despite the majority of species being preferentially active during one specific period, beta-diversity and abundance were more variable between years than within years. Temporal variation in beta-diversity was best explained by temperature (but climate accounted for only 2% of variation). Species abundance was best explained by temperature (for 32% of the tested species), monthly humidity (30%) and monthly rainfall (24%). We found no climatic dependence for 24% of the species. Our results suggest that studies focusing on species phenology can be misleading when based on single-year surveys even in seasonal systems. The high interannual variability in diversity may be due to an adaptive responses to an important regime of stochastic events. Given the direction of the relationships between weather and abundances, we predict that a large proportion of amphibians would suffer from climate change in Madagascar. We emphasise the need to account for multiple temporal scales in studies of tropical species composition and abundance to better understand species phenology and their response to climate change, and make targeted conservation actions more effective.

Year

2025-10-28T12:11:58Z

Creators

Dubos, Nicolas Morel, Loïs Crottini, Angelica Freeman, Karen Honoré, Jean Lava, Honoré Noël, Jean Porton, Ingrid Rendrirendry, Georges Rosa, Gonçalo M. Andreone, Franco

A niche perspective on the range expansion of symbionts

Range expansion results from complex eco-evolutionary processes where range dynamics and niche shifts interact in a novel physical space and/or environment, with scale playing a major role. Obligate symbionts (i.e. organisms permanently living on hosts) differ from free-living organisms in that they depend on strong biotic interactions with their hosts which alter their niche and spatial dynamics. A symbiotic lifestyle modifies organism–environment relationships across levels of organisation, from individuals to geographical ranges. These changes influence how symbionts experience colonisation and, by extension, range expansion. Here, we investigate the potential implications of a symbiotic lifestyle on range expansion capacity. We present a unified conceptual overview on range expansion of symbionts that integrates concepts grounded in niche and metapopulation theories. Overall, we explain how niche-driven and dispersal-driven processes govern symbiont range dynamics through their interaction across scales, from host switching to geographical range shifts. First, we describe a background framework for range dynamics based on metapopulation concepts applied to symbiont organisation levels. Then, we integrate metapopulation processes operating in the physical space with niche dynamics grounded in the environmental arena. For this purpose, we provide a definition of the biotope (i.e. living place) specific to symbionts as a hinge concept to link the physical and environmental spaces, wherein the biotope unit is a metapopulation patch (either a host individual or a land fragment). Further, we highlight the dual nature of the symbionts' niche, which is characterised by both host traits and the external environment, and define proper conceptual variants to provide a meaningful unification of niche, biotope and symbiont organisation levels. We also explore variation across systems in the relative relevance of both external environment and host traits to the symbiont's niche and their potential implications on range expansion. We describe in detail the potential mechanisms by which hosts, through their function as biotopes, could influence how some symbionts expand their range – depending on the life history and traits of both associates. From the spatial point of view, hosts can extend symbiont dispersal range via host-mediated dispersal, although the requirement for among-host dispersal can challenge symbiont range expansion. From the niche point of view, homeostatic properties of host bodies may allow symbiont populations to become insensitive to off-host environmental gradients during host-mediated dispersal. These two potential benefits of the symbiont–host interaction can enhance symbiont range expansion capacity. On the other hand, the central role of hosts governing the symbiont niche makes symbionts strongly dependent on the availability of suitable hosts. Thus, environmental, dispersal and biotic barriers faced by suitable hosts apply also to the symbiont, unless eventual opportunities for host switching allow the symbiont to expand its repertoire of suitable hosts (thus expanding its fundamental niche). Finally, symbionts can also improve their range expansion capacity through their impacts on hosts, via protecting their affiliated hosts from environmental harshness through biotic facilitation.

Year

2025-10-28T12:14:28Z

Creators

Mestre, Alexandre Poulin, Robert Hortal, Joaquín

Seasonality and interspecific competition shape individual niche variation in co‐occurring tetra fish in Neotropical streams

The drivers of intraspecific niche variation and its effects on species interactions are still unclear, especially in species-rich Neotropical environments. Here, we investigated how ecological opportunity and interspecific competition affect the degree of individual trophic specialization and the population niche breadth in tetra fish. We studied the four ecologically similar species (Psalidodon aff. gymnodontus, P. aff. paranae, P. bifasciatus, and Bryconamericus ikaa) in subtropical headwater streams (three sites with two co-occurring species and three sites with only one species). We sampled fish in two contrasting seasons (winter/dry and summer/wet) and quantified their trophic niches using gut content analysis. Psalidodon bifasciatus was the only species distributed over all the sampled streams. We observed seasonal differences in population trophic niche breadth of P. bifasciatus just when this species co-occurred with P. aff. gymnodontus. These findings confirm the complex nature of the effects of interspecific competition, depending, for instance, on the identity of the competitor. The degree of individual specialization of P. bifasciatus was higher in the winter, and it was not influenced by the presence of another species. Conversely, the other two Psalidodon species studied presented greater individual specialization in the summer, when fish consumed a higher proportion of allochthonous items (terrestrial insects and seeds), and there were no effects only for B. ikaa. Herein, our results suggest that seasonality in food-resource availability is a major driver of niche variation and it has the potential to play an important role in how these similar tetra species interact and coexist.

Year

2025-10-28T12:26:34Z

Creators

Neves, Mayara Pereira Costa-Pereira, Raul Delariva, Rosilene Luciana Fialho, Clarice Bernhardt

Responses of carnivore assemblages to decentralized conservation approaches in a South African landscape

1. Conservation efforts in South Africa play out across multi-use landscapes where formal protected areas coexist with private wildlife business (ecotourism and/or hunting) in a human-dominated matrix. Despite the persistence of highly diverse carnivore guilds, management idiosyncrasies are often orientated towards charismatic large predators and assemblage-level patterns remain largely unexplored. 2. We conducted an extensive camera-trap survey in a natural quasi-experimental setting in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We sampled across a protection gradient characterized by a provincial protected area (highest and formal protection status), a private ecotourism reserve, game ranches and traditional communal areas (lowest protected status). We evaluated assemblage-level and species-specific responses of free-ranging carnivores to the varying management contexts and associated environmental gradients. 3. Despite similar assemblage composition between management contexts, sitescale carnivore richness and occupancy rates were greater in the formal protected area than adjacent private reserve and game ranches. Carnivore occupancy was more similar between these private wildlife areas, although putative problem species were more common in the private reserve, and contrasted with depauperate assemblages in least protected communal lands. Variation in carnivore occupancy probabilities was largely driven by land use contexts, that is, the level and nature of protection, relative to underlying fine-scale landscape attributes (e.g. distance to conservation fences) or apex predator populations. 4. Synthesis and applications. Our findings provide convincing empirical support for the added value of multi-tenure conservation estates augmenting and connecting South Africa's protected areas. However, our emphasis on free-ranging carnivores exemplifies the importance of maintaining areas under long-term formal protection and the risks with viewing lucrative wildlife business as a conservation panacea. We suggest that unmanaged carnivore species be the formal components of carnivore reintroduction and recovery programmes to better gauge the complementary conservation role of South Africa's private land.

Year

2025-10-28T12:22:34Z

Creators

Curveira-Santos, Gonçalo Sutherland, Chris Santos-Reis, Margarida Swanepoel, Lourens H.

Potential Piriformospora indica effect on growth and mineral nutrition of Phaseolus vulgaris crop under low phosphorus intake

The aim of this study was the mycorrhizae inoculation effect on production and mineral nutrition of snap bean variety under low phosphorus intake. The experiment was a randomized block design with four treatments: a non-mycorrhizal control, two mycorrhizal strains: Piriformospora indica (Piri), Glomus intraradice (Glomus), and their combined inoculation Piri + Glomus; using ten replicates per treatment. A comparative trial of different treatments on plant growth, yield parameters, mineral absorption and mycorrhizae colonization frequency was conducted in the greenhouse under controlled conditions using autoclaved soil-sand-vermiculite substrate. The inoculation with Piri and co-inoculation with Piri + Glomus significantly increased aerial dry biomass (p ≤ 0.01) and highly increased root dry biomass (p ≤ 0.001). Mycorrhizal snap bean plants showed a significantly higher number of pods, pods dry weight, dry weight of seeds per plant, and percentage of mycorrhizal colonization than non-mycorrhizal plants. Mycorrhizae inoculation increased significantly nitrogen and phosphorus uptake that the inoculation with Piri increased N uptake in roots by 187% and P uptake by 200% compared to the non-inoculated plants. For cations leave incorporation, Piri significantly enhanced Ca2+ by 100%, Mg2+ by 110% and NH4+ by 175% relative to the non-mycorrhizal plants. While mycorrhizal inoculation doesn’t have a significant effect on K+ nutrition. In conclusion, snap bean Contender variety seedling inoculated with Piri proved to be most effective by improving plant growth, mineral nutrition and yield production under low phosphorus uptake.

Year

2025-10-28T12:25:40Z

Creators

Beltayef, Hayet Melki, Mongi Saidi, Wafa Hajri, Rim Cruz, Cristina Muscolo, Adele ben Youness, Mongi

Nitrogen inputs may improve soil biocrusts multifunctionality in dryland ecosystems

Soil biocrusts (communities of cyanobacteria, algae, mosses, lichens, and heterotrophs living at the soil surface) are fundamental components of dryland ecosystems worldwide. There is increasing concern over the potential for increasing nitrogen (N) inputs to affect biocrusts. This is of special concern in Mediterranean Basin drylands that face the threat of increased N inputs however, the effect on biocrusts remains poorly studied. We evaluated the potential effects of increased N inputs on biocrust structure and functioning in surrounding Mediterranean shrublands in the seventh year of a N-manipulation field experiment. We tracked the N-driven changes in biotope (changes in bare soil and in the non-legume and the legume occupation areas, and the percentage of radiation intercepted by plant canopies), evaluated biocrust functional traits (based on pigments) and measured biocrust functioning in terms of C and N cycling, soil fertility (macro and micronutrients) and biodiversity, and integrated these multiple soil functions simultaneously (i.e. soil multifunctionality) Biocrust pigment concentration was significantly influenced by both plant legacy and N input. Biocrust pigments revealed a clear functional shift from: i) biocrusts dominated by photosynthetically inactive cyanobacteria that fix N2 and are mostly committed to photoprotection at the expense of N-containing pigments under low N inputs; into ii) biocrusts more evenly composed of prokaryotes and eukaryotes, which are more photosynthetically active, but less committed to photoprotection and N2 fixation under exposure to increased N inputs. The N-driven functional and structural changes in biocrusts resulted in trade-offs in biocrust functioning and processes (only N2 fixation was affected) and an overall improvement in biocrust multifunctionality. By itself, biocrust pigment evenness accounted for ~50% of the observed variation in biocrust multifunctionality. The biocrust pigment functional approach we adopted to study the effects of increased N inputs from patchy developed anthropogenic landscapes provides novel and critical knowledge of biocrusts community and functioning, which may be used as a tool in biodiversity conservation strategies, ecosystem functions and ecological modelling.

Year

2025-10-28T12:16:48Z

Creators

Dias, Teresa Crous, Casparus J. Ochoa-Hueso, Raul Manrique, Esteban Martins-Loução, Maria Amélia Cruz, Cristina

Drought and salinity: A comparison of their effects on the ammonium‐preferring species Spartina alterniflora

Drought and salinity are the most serious environmental factors affecting crop productivity worldwide; hence, it is important to select and develop both salt- and drought-tolerant crops. The perennial smooth cordgrass Spartina alterniflora Loisel is unusual in that it is highly salt-tolerant and seems to prefer ammonium (NH4+) over nitrate (NO3−) as an inorganic N source. In this study, we determined whether Spartina's unique preference for NH4+ enhances performance under salt and drought stress. Greenhouse experiments were conducted to compare the interactive effects of N source, salinity, and low water availability on plant performance (growth and antioxidant metabolism). Drought significantly reduced growth and photosynthetic activity in S. alterniflora, more so with NH4+ than NO3−; in contrast, NH4+ enhanced growth under high salinity. The increased tolerance of S. alterniflora to salt stress in the presence of NH4+ was linked to a high level of antioxidant enzyme activity, combined with low MDA content, EL, and H2O2 production. In contrast, drought stress negated the growth advantages for S. alterniflora exposed to salt stress in the presence of NH4+. The susceptibility of S. alterniflora to drought was partly due to reduced antioxidant enzyme activities, thereby reducing the defense against the oxidative damages induced by osmotic stress. In conclusion, in contrast to salt stress, drought stress negates the beneficial effects of ammonium as an N source in the C4 plant Spartina alterniflora.

Year

2025-10-28T12:21:14Z

Creators

Hessini, Kamel Jeddi, Kaouthar Siddique, Kadambot H. M. Cruz, Cristina

Drivers of distance‐decay in bryophyte assemblages at multiple spatial scales: Dispersal limitations or environmental control?

Questions: Despite the increasing scientific interest in distance decay of compositional similarity in ecology, the scale dependence of geographical versus environmental control on distance decay of biological communities has not been properly addressed so far. The present work highlights the relative importance of niche-based processes versus dispersal limitations on distance decay patterns of epilithic bryophyte assemblages at different spatial scales. Location: Serra de Sintra, central Portugal. Methods: We adopted a nested sampling design with 32 selected sampling sites in each of which two clusters, each with five rocks, were surveyed. Each cluster was characterized by a set of 15 macroscale variables, which were divided into environmental and anthropogenic. For each rock eight microscale variables were recorded. Partial Mantel tests were used to assess the relative importance of geographical and environmental distance on community dissimilarity for each grain size (site, cluster, rock). Quantile regressions were used to describe the decay patterns of community similarity with respect to geographical and environmental distances. Ordination analyses and variation partitioning techniques were applied to assess the pure and shared effects of measured variables on bryophyte community composition. Results: Environmental distance based upon macroscale predictors was significantly correlated to community similarity, while no significant correlation was found for ecological distance calculated for microscale predictors, except at the largest grain size. The decrease of community similarity with geographical and environmental distance was thus consistently strengthened with increasing sample grain. Compositional variation was best explained by anthropogenic variables. Conclusions: The relative importance of environmental versus geographical distance on compositional similarity in epilithic bryophyte communities varies with the spatial scale of the predictors and with the sample grain. The decrease of similarity with increasing distance is related to changes in habitat features, especially those driven by human disturbance, while it is weakly affected by variations in substrate features.

Year

2025-10-28T12:25:54Z

Creators

Cacciatori, Cecilia Tordoni, Enrico Petruzzellis, Francesco Sergio, Cecilia Garcia, César Chiarucci, Alessandro Bacaro, Giovanni

Current climate, but also long‐term climate changes and human impacts, determine the geographic distribution of European mammal diversity

Aim: Historical climate variations, current climate and human impacts are known to influence current species richness, but their effects on phylogenetic and trait diversity have been seldom studied. We investigated the relationship of these three factors with the independent variations of species, phylogenetic and trait diversity of European mammals. Considering the position of the 0 ºC isotherm in the Last Glacial Maximum as a tipping point, we tested the following hypotheses: northern European assemblages host fewer species than southern European ones; northern areas harbour trait and phylogenetically clustered assemblages, while the more stable southern areas host random or overdispersed assemblages; and species richness correlates positively with human influence, while phylogenetic and trait diversity show clustered patterns in areas with stronger human influence. Location: Western Palaearctic. Time period: Current and Late Pleistocene effects on present-day diversity. Major taxa studied: Terrestrial mammals. Methods: We used a novel analytical approach based on distance matrices to separate the independent variations of species, phylogenetic and trait diversity, and assessed their relationships with current climate, climate stability and human influence through structural equation models. Results: The species-poor assemblages from northern Europe show higher phylogenetic and trait clustering than the more stable richer southern areas. However, no assemblage presented trait or phylogenetic overdispersion. Current climate is the primary driver of phylogenetic and trait diversity, while species richness is affected similarly by both current and past climates. Higher human influence correlates positively with species richness and trait diversity, both directly and by mediating indirect effects of present climate. Main conclusions: Current climate, climate stability and human influence affect the studied aspects of diversity, although the form and magnitude of their effects vary through space. Importantly, higher levels of human disturbances correlate with more species rich and trait diverse assemblages, an apparently counterintuitive result that deserves further study.

Year

2025-10-28T12:20:48Z

Creators

Santos, Ana M.C. Cianciaruso, Marcus V. Barbosa, Ana Márcia Bini, Luis Mauricio Diniz‐Filho, José Alexandre F. Faleiro, Frederico V. Gouveia, Sidney F. Loyola, Rafael Medina, Nagore G. Rangel, Thiago F. Tessarolo, Geiziane Hortal, Joaquín

Mainstreaming Classics in 21st Century Portugal

After decades of decline, Classical Philology is now thriving in the universities of Lisbon and Coimbra. However, with 40 new students, at most, every year, this is still a niche under graduation. How can we explain, then, that in February 2019 a new Latin grammar became a best seller in Portugal? How is it possible that two social media pages about Latin and Ancient Greek have reached more than 12 000 followers, during the lockdown period? Have the Classics finally become mainstream? These will be some of the questions we will try to answer in our paper, focusing mainly on outreach activities to adults.

Year

2025-10-28T12:29:40Z

Creators

Simões, André Filipe Veloso Nunes, 1971-

O banco público

The present dissertation focuses on the topic The public bench - significance and importance of these equipment in public space. To better understand and study the public bench is necessary to consider the evolution of the seat as part of the life of humans, to found the comfort and commodity. The seat is perhaps one of the most emblematic creations of man. So and through the history of seating furniture, we can relate this with the development of society. It was from nineteenth century with the process of industrialization and the changes in society that appeared the wide implementation of public bench, a kind of equipment that up to the date wasn´t very common. This shared equipment allowed a new abidance on the public space and a new experience in the city. Initially sought inspiration in domestic furniture and maintained the same designation attributed to any collective seat, but the bench lost prestige as interior furniture. However the public bench has become an essential piece of urban furniture that provides the rest and socialization place in the city

Year

2025-10-28T12:27:54Z

Creators

Gil, Erica Alexandra Balata, 1987-

Patient-centred management of Parkinson's disease

The Personal View by Bloem and colleagues1 on integrated and patient-centred management of Parkinson's disease proposes a health system organisation to address complex care in chronic neurological disorders, using Parkinson's disease as an example. The proposed hub-and-spoke model envisions the integration of health professionals based on a Parkinson's disease centre of excellence integrated with community hospitals. We share the values put forward as pillars for a framework change in the care of Parkinson's disease and other chronic neurological diseases but would like to offer additional insights for their wider dissemination and implementation.

Year

2025-10-28T12:11:58Z

Creators

Grimes, David Antonini, Angelo Ferreira, Joaquim J Sanchez-Ferro, Álvaro Lynch, Timothy Rascol, Oliver Růžička, Evžen Eggers, Carsten Mestre, Tiago