Environmental Sustainability under Global Change

ACTION DOMAINS
Photo © Bruno Martins
Environmental Sustainability under Global Change aims at a deeper understanding of hotspots and causes for biodiversity change, as well as other impacts and their relationship with climate change and human land-use.

Research covers the study and conservation of structural and functional biodiversity in all kinds of aquatic systems, from individuals to ecosystems, at different trophic levels; and addresses ecological resilience and climate change-related shifts and impacts, as well as prevention, early detection, mitigation and management of non-indigenous species. People’s perceptions towards aquatic biodiversity and towards its conservation is also an identified priority.

Public Policies & Strategies

  • European Biodiversity Strategy for 2030
  • European IAS Regulation 1143/2014
  • Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR)
  • Habitat & Birds Directives – Rede Natura
  • Berne Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats
  • Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)
  • Marine Strategy Framework Directive
  • Convention on Biological Diversity
  • National Strategy for the Sea 2021-2030, particularly with its strategic objectives OE1 – Combat Climate Change and Pollution and Restore Ecosystems, OE4 – Sustainability and Food Security, and OE7 – Stimulating Scientific Knowledge, Technological Development and Blue Innovation.

Coordinator

Support to coordination

Coordinator

Ronaldo Sousa

BIO

Support to coordination

Pedro Raposo de Almeida

BIO

Support to coordination

João Carlos Marques

BIO

Support to coordination

Manuel Graça

BIO

Support to coordination

Rui Rosa

BIO

Support to coordination

Lino Costa

BIO

Support to coordination

Paulo Catry

BIO

Support to coordination

Cláudia Pascoal

BIO

Support to coordination

Cristina Veiga-Pires

BIO
Coordinator

Ronaldo Sousa

Professor at Universidade do Minho, researcher at CBMA. Expertise in Ecology and Conservation; invasive species; biodiversity and ecosystem functioning; ecosystem engineering; extreme climatic events and impacts of human activities in aquatic ecosystems.
Support to coordination

Pedro Raposo de Almeida

Full professor at the University of Évora and the Director of MARE. Head of the Scientific Research Board of the Mora Freshwater Aquarium. Nominated as expert on fish distribution by the European Environment Agency (EEA), EIONET and National Reference Centre for Nature and Biodiversity (ICNB).
Expertise in biology and conservation of fishes, with focus in aquatic biotelemetry, management of commercial fisheries, fish population dynamics and ecological monitoring.
Support to coordination

João Carlos Marques

Full Professor at the University of Coimbra, researcher at MARE. Expertise in marine and estuarine ecology with focus in the study of ecological processes and their characterization, quantification, and modelling, mainly through an ecosystem services approach and the development and application of suitable ecological indicators of ecosystems health and performance.
Support to coordination

Manuel Graça

Full Professor at the University of Coimbra, researcher at MARE. Expertise in ecosystem functioning, in particular litter decomposition in freshwaters. A worldwide reference on the study of carbon rates and nutrient fluxes across land-water interface and how those fluxes are affected by global changes related with pollutants, temperature and carbon dioxide, forestry, and nutrient enrichment.
Support to coordination

Rui Rosa

Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Sciences University of Lisbon and researcher at MARE.
Expertise in Climate Change/Global Change Biology related topics, namely in the understanding of the combined effects of climate change-related drivers of change on the marine biota (from molecules to ecosystems).
Support to coordination

Lino Costa

Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Sciences University of Lisbon and researcher at MARE. Invited Professor at Agostinho Neto University, in Angola.
Expertise in Environmental Impact Assessment and Monitoring programs, including for Wastewater Treatment Plants, Wave Farms, Thermal Power Plants and dams; and monitoring resulting from fisheries and the introduction of non-indigenous species due to navigation, and also the positive effects of Marine Protected Areas. Responsible for the CoastNet research infrastructure, aimed at monitoring coastal areas.
Support to coordination

Paulo Catry

Assistant professor at ISPA – University Institute. Researcher at MARE.
Expertise in long-term research on marine megafauna, including sea turtles, albatrosses and other seabirds, over the Atlantic, with focus on the spatial ecology of organisms, identification of biodiversity hotspots and drivers of habitat selection, study of interactions between seabirds and fishing vessels, impact of invasive species on seabirds.
Support to coordination

Cláudia Pascoal

Associate Professor at University of Minho, Director of CBMA (Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology) and Deputy Director of IB-S (Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-Sustainability).
Expertise in impacts of global change on biodiversity and ecosystem processes in freshwaters with focus on organic matter turnover; disentangling effects of multiple stressors; Adaptation and mitigation strategies to climate change; Impacts of emerging contaminants to freshwaters at the community-, population- and cellular-level, with focus on aquatic fungi and invertebrates; Molecular tools to assess microbial diversity.
Support to coordination

Cristina Veiga-Pires

Researcher and Assistant Professor in University of Algarve, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Executive Director of Ciência Viva do Algarve, Scientific Coordinator of Geopark Algarvensis Loulé-Silves-Albufeira and National Alternate Delegate at ECORD Science Support and Advisory Board (ESSAC) in University of Algarve. Works in the area of Natural sciences with emphasis on Earth and Environmental Sciences with emphasis on Geosciences, Multidisciplinary.