Coastal ecosystems formed by macroalgae, seagrasses and saltmarshes, also known as blue forests, are amongst the most valuable ecosystems on earth. They are powerhouses of benefits for human well-being through the provision of a variety of global and regional ecosystem services, including: Climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration and accumulation in sediments Supporting biodiversity, including nursery grounds for commercial species Water purification Coastline protection Diseases control.  In spite of their ecological, societal and economic importance, blue forests "lack charisma". Their benefits and values are poorly grasped by the general public, particularly by decision-makers and the media, and surprisingly even among professionals whose livelihood directly depends on these ecosystems (e.g. fishermen, maritime tourism activities).  The Blue Forests project aims to address these issues by developing education and training activities and materials for an audience ranging from university students to elementary school teachers, decision-makers and environmental authorities, media and maritime tourism professionals. The project's team will work closely with these audiences in view of developing their skills and provide capacity-building on the topic of blue forests and the important ecosystem services they provide. In particular:  Teachers will be prepared to convey the importance of the ecosystem services perspective of blue forests to school students, supplementing the existing gap in the curricula.  Students, the scientists and environmental professionals of tomorrow, will be more qualified in the subject.   Decision-makers will have a more sound scientific background on which to make better judgements on management and conservation decisions.  Media professionals will be better equipped in terms of scientific capacity to disseminate news about the importance of coastal ecosystems, particularly blue forests,  Marine tourism professionals will be better equipped to walk, drive or sail coastal ecosystems with tourists, provide more informed service and reduce their environmental impacts.     Funded by:   Programme Operator:       Promotor: Partners:   Project funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants. Through the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA), Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway are partners in the internal market with the Member States of the European Union. As a way of promoting a continuous and balanced strengthening of economic and trade relations, the parties to the EEA Agreement established a multi-annual Financial Mechanism, known as EEA Grants. EEA Grants aim to reduce social and economic disparities in Europe and strengthen bilateral relations between these three countries and beneficiary countries. For the period 2014-2021, a total contribution of €2.8 billion has been agreed to 15 beneficiary countries. Portugal will benefit from an amount of 102.7 million euros. Learn more at eeagrants.gov.pt

FICA aims to develop a set of specialized services for zootechnical, physiological and molecular research, to tackle the current and future challenges of the aquaculture industry in the area of industrial contracted research. The main objectives of the project are: Refine the methodologies to estimate fish and shrimp appetite (e.g., using a fluorescent compound); Refine the methodologies to estimate the true digestibility in fish; Develop a service to predict the nutritional effects on the long-term of feed additives and emerging ingredients, based on mathematical modelling; Develop a new gut health evaluation service, including the assessment of gut permeability, characterization of the microbiota and use of a new panel of biomarkers (systemic and genetic).   This project has received funding from COMPETE 2020, CRESC Algarve 2020, Portugal 2020 and the European Union through ERDF under reference ALG-01-0247-FEDER-047175. The content of this page only expresses the views of the author. The Portuguese National Authorities or the European Union cannot be held liable for any use made of this publication.

Código do projeto | POCI-01-0247-FEDER-069769 Região de intervenção | Algarve Data de aprovação | 28-01-2021 Data de início | 01/01/2021 Data de conclusão | 30/06/2023 Apoio financeiro da União Europeia | FEDER - 545.110,19 Apoio financeiro público nacional/regional | Autoridade de Gestão do Programa Operacional Regional do Algarve - 167.042,97     O Projeto nº 69769_MAXIMUS tem como objetivo desenvolver um estudo holístico para a produção em maternidade de juvenis de pregado, de modo a permitir elevadas taxas de crescimentos (8 g aos 80 dias de cultivo desde o ovo) e sobrevivências (20% da eclosão a 8 g). O projeto visa criar uma base tecnológica que permita à ACUINOVA produzir juvenis de pregado, baseado num ambicioso programa de investigação e desenvolvimento que assenta nos conhecimentos em zootecnia de cultivo de larvas, pós-larvas e juvenis de peixes marinhos das equipas da ACUINOVA e CCMAR, de nutrição larvas e juvenis do CCMAR, e em estudos de microbioma de peixes por investigadores da UA. O projeto reúne um consórcio alargado, composto por uma empresa, a ACUINOVA - ACTIVIDADES PISCICOLAS e duas entidades do sistema científico nacional, o CENTRO DE CIÊNCIAS DO MAR DO ALGARVE e a UNIVERSIDADE DE AVEIRO, reunindo as competências técnicas e científicas para o desenvolvimento do mesmo.   The MAXIMUS.PT project aims to develop a holistic study for the hatchery production of juvenile turbot, in order to allow high growth rates (8 g in 80 days of cultivation, from egg) and survival (20% from hatching to 8 g). The project aims to create a technological basis that allows ACUINOVA to produce turbot juveniles, based on an ambitious research and development program to investigate: 1) rearing techniques for larvae, post-larvae and juvenile marine fish (ACUINOVA and CCMAR); 2) larvae and juvenile feeding and nutrition (CCMAR); and 3) fish microbiome structural diversity and putative function (UA).          

The “MASS” project has two main objectives:  1) To monitor possible sources of microplastics to the coastal environment; 2) To find “environmentally friendly” solutions to the problem of plastic pollution.  The first objective of the project focuses on the monitorization of sources of microplastics to the coastal environment. More particularly to the Ria Formosa, in the Algarve region (Southern Portugal). Among them, I am analysing microplastics from air samples (picture 1), a source of microplastics poorly studied thus far. In parallel, I am sampling coastal waters (picture 2), to see the importance of atmospheric deposition as a source of microplastics to brackish waters . To accomplish the second objective, I am looking for microorganisms, namely bacteria, with the potential to “biodegrade” conventional plastics (for example, polyethene, one of the most used plastics) and/or “bio-based” plastics with a biological origin (e.g. bio-based PET). In the framework of the European project PROBIOMA (ERDF-funded; CTM2015-2339), we have recovered bacterial communities from marine caves to explore their ability to biodegrade microplastics (picture 3).  Through the project, I am developing methods for the proper identification and quantification of microplastics from environmental samples (air, water, sediment), since there is still no standardized methodology for their analysis. Similarly, I am testing leading-edge methodologies (e.g. micro-FTIR, SEM) to assess the biodegradation of microplastics (picture 4).  The project also has a strong component on environmental awareness. In collaboration with other colleagues from CCMAR, I have participated in activities aimed to the general public, and more particularly to schools students. On these lines, I am currently involved in the European project “Plastic Pirates”. In this project, which was launched in the spring of 2021 in Portugal, school students collaborate with researchers to monitor plastic waste found along riverbanks across the country.  The project has the collaboration of Clara Costa, Jorge Carlier and the PhD student Tânia Palma from the ECOREACH group of CCMAR.   Posters: Plastics we do not see, but breathe Degradation of conventional and biodegradable microplastics in the marine environment Atmospheric deposition of microplastics in Southern Portugal