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- Hands on science : the case study of Pedra do Sal Interpretation CenterPublication . Ferreira, Ana; Seixas, Sónia; Faria, SaraPedra do Sal Interpretation Center offers an original experience, and the possibility to observe and touch all of Avencas beach fauna and flora, once it is equipped with a touch tank, representative of a rocky shore tide pool. In 2013 the Municipality of Cascais developed and installed the permanent exhibition “Cascais, from Land to Sea“ and adjusted all of its scholarly activities to this theme. Since the opening of the exhibition, the number of visitors of Pedra do Sal Interpretation Center has been increasing and is currently four times higher than in the past year (2012 vs 2013).
- Biology and ecology of cephalopod species commercially exploited in Europe : species accountsPublication . Jereb, Patrizia; Piatkowski, Uwe; Allcock, Louise; Belcari, Paola; Tasende, Manuel; González, Angel; Guerra, Angel; Hastie, Lee; Lefkaditou, Eugenia; Moreno, Ana; Pascual, Santiago; Pereira, João; Pierce, Graham; Sánchez, Pilar; Sartor, Paolo; Seixas, Sónia; Sobrino, Ignacio; Villanueva, Roger
- Pseudechidna brummeri: an unexpected discovery in the North-East Atlantic raises concernsPublication . Parrinha, Joaquim; Seixas, SóniaGlobal changes are currently underway, resulting in the discovery and introduction of new species in unexpected locations. One notable case involves the Indo-Pacific species Pseudechidna brummeri, which was observed and captured on film during a nocturnal dive in Portugal. This situation raises the question: How did this species come to inhabit this area? Two primary explanations appear plausible: a) The species may have been introduced through ship ballast water, a common pathway for the unintentional transport of aquatic organisms. Given the proximity of a large port, this possibility gains significance. b) Alternatively, the species could have originated from a home aquarium, a factor that remains poorly understood. The potential for species to escape or be released from aquariums into natural ecosystems is an area that requires further investigation. Another pertinent question to consider is whether there is only one individual of this species or if there are more individuals present?
- Temporal variation in element concentrations in arms of the common octopus (Octopus vulgaris)Publication . Seixas, Sónia; Faria, Maria; Ferreira, Ana; Pierce, Graham
- Vanadium, rubidium and potassium in Octopus vulgaris (Mollusca: Cephalopoda)Publication . Seixas, Sónia; Pierce, GrahamThe levels of vanadium, rubidium and potassium were determined in Octopus vulgaris caught during commercial fishing activities at three locations (Cascais, Santa Luzia and Viana do Castelo) in Portugal in autumn and spring. We determined the concentration of these elements in digestive gland, branchial heart, gills, mantle and arms in males and females. At least five males and five females were assessed for each season/location combination. Elemental concentrations were determined by Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE). Vanadium was detectable only in digestive gland and branchial heart samples. Its concentration was not correlated with total weight, total length or mantle length. There were no differences in concentrations of V, Rb and K between sexes. There were significant differences in vanadium concentrations in branchial hearts in autumn between samples from Viana do Castelo and those from the other two sites. We found a significant positive relationship between the concentration of vanadium and those of potassium and rubidium in branchial hearts. Branchial hearts appear to play an important role in decontamination of V.
- Methodology used to supervise the thesis of bachelor’s in biology (Educators of children) from traditional distance learning to e-learningPublication . Seixas, SóniaIn this work was analysed the results of supervise of 35 thesis during 4 years with different methodology. In first year (academic year 2005/2006) was used traditional distance learning, mail, telephone and e-mail. On second year was used a mix of traditional distance learning (same of last year) and also used of a Web platform with some documents and important information. In third year, was tried to use e-learning methodology but it only revealed to be possible with 50 % of the students. During the fourth year was used an e-learning methodology, but in a session, in the beginning of the year, was made a presentation to explain the students how to use it and its advantages. In this last year, all communication with students was made by forums in a page created in Moodle Platform. The results reveal that the students did not feel comfortable with e-learning model in first months. But after some months the students messages in forums increased significantly. These forums were moderated by the teacher. In forums all students could read the doubts of the colleagues and the answer of the teacher. The failure detected was the almost total absence of messages in the forums for information exchange among students. To the teacher s e-learning methodology needs very attention, being necessary going to the Moodle page several times a week, but avoids the explanation of same thing several times. To students e-learning methodology makes students feel more accompanied, as inquiries of last year reveal.
- Spatial distribution of Cephalopods of the European Shelf and their associated oceanographic parameters based on occurrence in standardized demersal fishing trawlsPublication . Oesterwind, Daniel; Matos, Fábio; Abad, Esther; Certain, Gregoire; Fotiadis, Nikolaos; Gonzales, Ángel; Laptikhovsky, Vladimir; Lishchenko, Fedor; Moreno, Ana; Monteiro, Silvia; Montero, Carlos; Moustahfid, Hassan; Pierce, Graham; Power, Anne Marie; Robin, Jean-Paul; Seixas, Sónia; Valeiras, JulioChanging oceans impact the whole marine ecosystem in different ways. For example, rising ocean temperatures can affect the presence / absence of species, especially when local environmental conditions exceed individual species’ physiological tolerances. Accordingly, climate change has caused shifts in distribution and expansions for various cephalopods worldwide. Cephalopods play an important role in the ecosystem, especially in food webs. Consequently, spatial distribution shifts might help explain observed ecosystem changes. Therefore, maps for cephalopod distributions need to be reviewed and updated. Meanwhile, information on the associated environmental conditions will permit future occurrence of cephalopods to be modelled, which is interesting from a fishery and ecological perspective. Some information about physiological tolerances of cephalopods are known from laboratory studies and aquaculture experience, as well as from field observations. Laboratory data are often based on narrow ranges, depending on the experimental design, and can therefore provide only a limited understanding of physiological tolerances. On the other hand, field observations are also limited due to the spatial and temporal limitations of surveys, but these might provide a more realistic picture of natural tolerances. Here, we use the ICES Datras dataset to, first, describe the current distribution of cephalopods associated with the European shelf and, second, advance the knowledge regarding environmental ranges of the various species included in the analysis by combining occurrence data with in-situ oceanographic data. An additional literature review will provide information about the different environmental requirements of various life stages. The results allow us to increase the knowledge of physiological preferences of various cephalopod species within the North-East Atlantic Ocean. Finally, we will discuss and present potential future trends in cephalopod occurrence within the NE Atlantic. In order to further strengthen our knowledge of physiological tolerances of various cephalopod species more data on life history and life stages is needed to develop a more advanced mechanistic model.
- Proposal for the establishment of an EAS thematic group for aquaculture education, training and knowledge exchange (AQUA-TNET)Publication . Bostock, John; Ueberschär, Bernd; Seixas, Sónia
- Ecosystem response to different management options in Marine Protected Areas (MPA): a case study of intertidal rocky shore communitiesPublication . Ferreira, Ana; Alves, Ana Sofia; Marques, João Carlos; Seixas, SóniaMarine Protected Areas (MPA) can be powerful coastal management tools with several specific goals, although there is debate concerning their effectiveness. There is no consensus regarding the ideal size of MPAs, and actually there is some evidence that perhaps size is not as critical as other specific factors in determining their success in terms of populations’ protection and ecological functions conservation. On the other hand, depending on the objectives, zones with different classification regimes in terms of rules and uses might enable the maintenance of the intended uses. At this light, we examined the case of the small (605 002 m2) rocky shore area of Avencas, near Lisbon, on the Atlantic western Coast of Portugal, which was classified as Biophysical Interest Zone (ZIBA) in 1998, due to its exceptional intertidal biodiversity, after what its protection status became controversial, leading to conflicts with the local population and incompliance with extant regulations. From 2010 efforts were carried out by local authorities to reclassify Avencas as Marine Protected Area, which was achieved in 2016. Monitoring intertidal communities in a MPA and adjacent areas is an effective and low-cost procedure to evaluate the evolution of the biodiversity of rocky shores. Therefore, antedating the creation of the new MPA, assessments of the ZIBA biodiversity were conducted from January 2013 to December 2015 on a monthly basis. This timeline was selected as a function of a change in visitors’ behavior induced from 2013 by several management and outreach initiatives, which increased in a certain extent the user’s compliance with regulations. A positive evolution was expected for density and/or species diversity of the different groups analysed (flora, sessile fauna and mobile fauna) in this three years period. However, a very strong storm occurred in 2014 produced a significant impact and changed large areas of the Avencas rocky shore. As a consequence, results did not display a recognizable recovery pattern of the intertidal communities, and following that extreme event are not even consistent with a hypothesized enhanced recovery capability of the ecosystem in a protected area. This suggests that longer data series are necessary to obtain more robust data regarding natural variability, since alterations caused by extreme events are always likely to occur. Additionally, results illustrate that indeed size matters because it influences the MPA openness, expressed as the ratio of periphery to area, and therefore its susceptibility to external driving forces. Such considerations must be taken into account in any management plan, which in this case should encompass an increase in the intertidal protected area, a new conditioned small-scale fishing regime, and an adequate monitoring programme to evaluate the effectiveness of the new management scheme.
- Generic skills needs for graduate employment in the aquaculture, fisheries and related sectors in EuropePublication . Pita, Cristina; Eleftheriou, Margaret; Fernández-Borrás, Jaime; Gonçalves, Susana; Mente, Eleni; Santos, Begoña; Seixas, Sónia; Pierce, GrahamThere is an increasing demand for highly skilled workers in all advanced industrialised economies. Although most jobs require occupation-specific skills to carry them out, it is widely recognised that generic skills are ever more needed by job seekers, to increase job opportunities and maintain employability; this applies to all sectors of the economy, from selling cars to undertaking marine research. Several recent European Union strategy documents emphasise the importance of generic skills. However, the apparent mismatch between the skills sets that employers seek and that job seekers offer remains a major challenge. This paper focuses on perceptions of and attitudes to generic skills training for university graduates intending to gain employment in aquaculture, fisheries or other marine sectors and presents the results of a survey administered to academics, industry representatives, students (at different stages of their academic career) and graduates. The various respondents regarded most of the 39 generic skills under investigation as important, with none classified as unimportant. However, students undertaking different types of degree (i.e. B.Sc., M.Sc. and Ph.D.) prioritized different generic skills and the level of importance ascribed to generic skills training increased as students progressed in their university careers. On the other hand, university staff and other employers were fairly consistent in their choice of the most important generic skills. We argue that there remains a need to place generic skills and employability attributes and attitudes at the centre of the higher education curriculum.