The use of image processing in assessing conchocelis growth and conchospore production in Porphyra linearis

Varela-Álvarez, Elena; Stengel, Dagmar B.; Guiry, Michael D.; Guiry, Michael D.; Ester A. Serrão; Procaccini, Gabriele; Duarte, Carlos M.; Marba, Núria

Maria Elena Varela Alvarez

Position

Research Assistant

Academic Degree

Doutoramento

Group

Biogeographical Ecology and Evolution

Based at

Faro, Gambelas Campus, UAlg

Office Nr

D11

evarela@ualg.pt

ORCID ID

ResearchGate

Scopus

Organiza

Main Info

I am a phycologist, with an interest in all aspects of the biology of algae. My main topics of research are:

a) Red algal biology, algal chimerism, algal cytogenetics and polyploidy;

b) Biogeography, genetic diversity, molecular marker development, population genetics, the evolution of life cycles in algal species;

c) Algal chemical characterisation, Seaweed aquaculture, Sea-vegetables

Projects

Projects Coordination

	Title	Coordinator	Start	End	Financiamento	Budget CCMAR	Budget Total
NORIGENOMICS	Taxonomia molecular, genética populacional e filogenómica do género de algas vermelhas porphyra na Península Ibérica	Maria Elena Varela Alvarez	04/2010	12/2013	FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia	200k€
CAULERPA GENETICS	Estrutura genética populacional, filogenia molecular e biogeografia histórica do género Caulerpa no Mar Mediterrâneo e Oceano Atlântico	Maria Elena Varela Alvarez	11/2008	05/2012	FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia	183k€

News

Researchers discovered that some red algae have genomes of different sizes within the same individual

Algumas algas vermelhas têm diferentes tamanhos de genoma

This study represents not only an advance in the knowledge of the genetic diversity of these economically important algae but also an advancement in the understanding of the biology and evolution of red algal taxa.

The study led by our researchers has revealed that the Iberian populations of Porphyra red algae have the highest genetic diversity in Europe.

Publications

Year of Publication
2022	Varela-Álvarez E, Meirmans PG, Guiry MD, Serrão E. Biogeographic Population Structure of Chimeric Blades of Porphyra in the Northeast Atlantic Reveals Southern Rich Gene Pools, Introgression and Cryptic Plasticity. Frontiers in Plant Science. 2022;13. doi:10.3389/fpls.2022.818368 Read more about Biogeographic Population Structure of Chimeric Blades of Porphyra in the Northeast Atlantic Reveals Southern Rich Gene Pools, Introgression and Cryptic Plasticity Google Scholar DOI
2021	Varela-Álvarez E, Loureiro J, Meirmans PG, Castro M, Serrão EA. Genomes Vary in Size and Spatial Patterns Within Chimeric Blades of Porphyra spp. Frontiers in Marine Science. 2021;8. doi:10.3389/fmars.2021.628183 Read more about Genomes Vary in Size and Spatial Patterns Within Chimeric Blades of Porphyra spp. Google Scholar PT DOI
2021	Olivé I, Varela-Álvarez E, Silva J, Serrão E, Santos R. Physiological potential of the chlorophyte Caulerpa prolifera for proliferation across the Mediterranean-Atlantic basins in a warmer ocean. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 2021;668:73 - 84. doi:10.3354/meps13719 Read more about Physiological potential of the chlorophyte Caulerpa prolifera for proliferation across the Mediterranean-Atlantic basins in a warmer ocean Google Scholar PT DOI
2020	Bermejo R, Macías M, Sánchez-García F, Love R, Varela-Álvarez E, Hernández I. Influence of irradiance, dissolved nutrients and salinity on the colour and nutritional characteristics of Gracilariopsis longissima (Rhodophyta). Algal Research. 2020;52:102121. doi:10.1016/j.algal.2020.102121 Read more about Influence of irradiance, dissolved nutrients and salinity on the colour and nutritional characteristics of Gracilariopsis longissima (Rhodophyta) Google Scholar PT DOI
2020	Zubia M, Draisma SGA, Morrissey KLee, Varela-Álvarez E, De Clerck O. Concise review of the genus Caulerpa J.V. Lamouroux. Journal of Applied Phycology. 2020;32(1):23 - 39. doi:10.1007/s10811-019-01868-9 Read more about Concise review of the genus Caulerpa J.V. Lamouroux Google Scholar PT DOI
2019	Varela-Álvarez E, P T, F G, R FG, D S. Phycobiliproteins, nitrogenous compounds and fatty acid contents in field-collected and cultured gametophytes of Porphyra dioica, a red sea vegetable. Journal of Applied Phycology. 2019. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-019-01841-6 Read more about Phycobiliproteins, nitrogenous compounds and fatty acid contents in field-collected and cultured gametophytes of Porphyra dioica, a red sea vegetable Google Scholar PT DOI
2018	Varela-Álvarez E, Loureiro J, Paulino C, Serrão EA. Polyploid lineages in the genus Porphyra. Scientific Reports. 2018;8(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-018-26796-5 Read more about Polyploid lineages in the genus Porphyra Google Scholar DOI
2018	Chefaoui RM, Varela-Álvarez E. Niche conservatism and spread of seaweed invasive lineages with different residence time in the Mediterranean Sea. Biological Invasions. 2018;20(2):423 - 435. doi:10.1007/s10530-017-1544-8 Read more about Niche conservatism and spread of seaweed invasive lineages with different residence time in the Mediterranean Sea Google Scholar DOI
2017	Varela-Álvarez E, Balau AC, Paulino C, Berecibar E, Pearson GA, Serrão EA. Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers for the red alga Porphyra umbilicalis. Plant Genetic Resources. 2017:1 - 4. doi:10.1017/S147926211700034X Read more about Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers for the red alga Porphyra umbilicalis Google Scholar PT DOI
2017	Varela-Álvarez E, Paulino C, Serrão EA. Development and characterization of twelve microsatellite markers for Porphyra linearis Greville. Genetica. 2017;(145):127–130; Pub online: Nov 2016. doi:10.1007/s10709-016-9941-y Read more about Development and characterization of twelve microsatellite markers for Porphyra linearis Greville Google Scholar DOI
2015	Varela-Álvarez E, Balau AC, Marba N, Afonso-Carrillo J, Duarte CM, Serrão EA. Genetic diversity and biogeographical patterns of Caulerpa prolifera across the Mediterranean and Mediterranean/Atlantic transition zone. Marine Biology. 2015;162(3):557 - 569. doi:10.1007/s00227-014-2605-5 Read more about Genetic diversity and biogeographical patterns of Caulerpa prolifera across the Mediterranean and Mediterranean/Atlantic transition zone Google Scholar DOI
2013	Cunha A, Varela-Álvarez E, Paulo D, Sousa I, Serrão EA. The rediscovery of Caulerpa prolifera in Ria Formosa, Portugal, 60 years after the previous record. Cahiers de Biologie Marine. 2013;54. Read more about The rediscovery of Caulerpa prolifera in Ria Formosa, Portugal, 60 years after the previous record Google Scholar
2012	Varela-Álvarez E, Garreta AGómez, Lluch JRull, Soler NSalvador, Serrão EA, Siguán MAntonia Ri. Mediterranean Species of Caulerpa Are Polyploid with Smaller Genomes in the Invasive Ones. PLoS ONE. 2012;7(10):e47728. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0047728.t003 Read more about Mediterranean Species of Caulerpa Are Polyploid with Smaller Genomes in the Invasive Ones Google Scholar DOI
2011	Varela-Álvarez E, Rindi F, Cavas L, Serrão EA, Duarte CM, Nuria M. Molecular identification of the tropical seagrass Halophila stipulacea from Turkey. Cahiers de Biologie Marine. 2011;52. Read more about Molecular identification of the tropical seagrass Halophila stipulacea from Turkey Google Scholar
2011	Varela-Álvarez E, Glenn TC, Serrão EA, et al. Dinucleotide microsatellite markers in the genus Caulerpa. Journal of Applied Phycology. 2011;23(4):715 - 719. doi:10.1007/s10811-010-9568-9 Read more about Dinucleotide microsatellite markers in the genus Caulerpa Google Scholar DOI
2009	Alberto F, Whitmer A, Coelho NC, et al. Microsatellite markers for the giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera. Conservation Genetics. 2009;10(6):1915 - 1917. doi:10.1007/s10592-009-9853-9 Read more about Microsatellite markers for the giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera Google Scholar DOI
2007	Varela-Álvarez E, Stengel DB, Guiry MD. SEASONAL GROWTH AND PHENOTYPIC VARIATION IN PORPHYRA LINEARIS (RHODOPHYTA) POPULATIONS ON THE WEST COAST OF IRELAND. Journal of Phycology. 2007;43(1):90 - 100. doi:10.1111/j.1529-8817.2006.00300.x Read more about SEASONAL GROWTH AND PHENOTYPIC VARIATION IN PORPHYRA LINEARIS (RHODOPHYTA) POPULATIONS ON THE WEST COAST OF IRELAND Google Scholar DOI
2006	Varela-Álvarez E, Andreakis N, Lago-Lestón A, et al. GENOMIC DNA ISOLATION FROM GREEN AND BROWN ALGAE (CAULERPALES AND FUCALES) FOR MICROSATELLITE LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION1. Journal of Phycology. 2006;42(3):741 - 745. doi:10.1111/j.1529-8817.2006.00218.x Read more about GENOMIC DNA ISOLATION FROM GREEN AND BROWN ALGAE (CAULERPALES AND FUCALES) FOR MICROSATELLITE LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION1 Google Scholar DOI
2005	Varela-Álvarez E, Stengel DB, Rindi F, Guiry MD. Alternation of nuclear phases and chromosome numbers in Porphyra linearis (Bangiales, Rhodophyta) from western Ireland and Maine, USA. Phycologia. 2005;44(1):61 - 65. doi:10.2216/0031-8884(2005)44[61:AONPAC]2.0.CO;2 Read more about Alternation of nuclear phases and chromosome numbers in Porphyra linearis (Bangiales, Rhodophyta) from western Ireland and Maine, USA Google Scholar DOI
2004	Varela-Álvarez E, Stengel DB, Guiry MD. The use of image processing in assessing conchocelis growth and conchospore production in Porphyra linearis. Phycologia. 2004;43(3):282 - 287. doi:10.2216/i0031-8884-43-3-282.1 Read more about The use of image processing in assessing conchocelis growth and conchospore production in Porphyra linearis Google Scholar DOI

Galleries

Maria Elena Varela Alvarez

Organiza

Projects Coordination

Researchers discovered that some red algae have genomes of different sizes within the same individual

The Iberian Peninsula was a red algae refuge during ice ages