Bryophyte assembly rules across scales

Understanding how species assemble into communities is a central issue in community ecology. So far, most studies have focused on the assembly mechanisms of vascular plant communities, while the role of deterministic (environmental filtering and biotic interactions) and stochastic (e.g. dispersal limitation) processes structuring bryophyte assemblages remains poorly understood. To evaluate how different assembly processes shape bryophyte communities in mountain streams, we examined functional trait patterns across spatial scales and along environmental gradients. To do so, we sampled 754 microhabitat plots (0.25 m2) nested within 165 sites (100-m long stream segments) and 13 sub-basins, located in the northwest and central-west of Portugal. At each spatial scale, observed functional diversity indices (Functional Richness and Rao's quadratic entropy) were compared to random expectations derived from null models, followed by the analysis of changes in functional trait patterns along environmental gradients by fitting a series of generalized additive mixed models. At local scales (site and microhabitat plot), coexisting species tended to be more functionally similar than expected, suggesting the prevalence of environmental filtering effects. In contrast, no significant deviations from random expectations were detected at the broadest spatial scale (sub-basin), indicating the prevalence of stochastic processes. We found contrasting assembly processes along environmental gradients: environmental filtering prevailed in stressful environments, while competitive interactions were more important in favourable conditions. Synthesis. Our results highlight the role of environmental filtering in bryophyte community assembly at fine spatial scales, emphasizing the importance of measuring environmental conditions at the same spatial scales where biotic interactions take place. In line with the stress-dominance hypothesis, the relative importance of environmental filtering increased with abiotic stress. Thus, analysing functional trait patterns across different spatial scales and environmental gradients may contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying community assembly.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Cars as a tool for monitoring and protecting biodiversity

Modern cars have an array of sensors that allow different objects to be recognized, including large and small animals. They thus have the potential to become a tool for monitoring biodiversity and improving driver safety. But to achieve this various challenges in computing, communications and privacy need to be addressed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Concurrent herbivory and metal accumulation: The outcome for plants and herbivores

The effects of metals on plants and herbivores, as well as the interaction among the latter, are well documented. However, the effects of simultaneous herbivory and metal accumulation remain poorly studied. Here, we shed light on this topic by infesting cadmium-accumulating tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum), either exposed to cadmium or not, with herbivorous spider mites, Tetranychus urticae or T. evansi during 14 days. Whereas on plants without cadmium T. evansi had higher growth rate than T. urticae, on plants with cadmium both mite species had similar growth rates, which were lower than on plants without metal. Plants were affected by both cadmium toxicity and by herbivory, as shown by leaf reflectance, but not on the same wavelengths. Moreover, changes in leaf reflectance on the wavelength affected by herbivores were similar on plants with and without cadmium, and vice versa. Long-term effects of cadmium and herbivory did not affect H2O2 concentrations in the plant. Finally, plants infested with spider mites did not accumulate more cadmium, suggesting that metal accumulation is not induced by herbivory. We thus conclude that cadmium accumulation affects two congeneric herbivore species differently and that the effects of herbivory and cadmium toxicity on plants may be disentangled, via leaf reflectance, even during simultaneous exposure.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Aplicação dos princípios da Terapia Cognitivo-Comportamental no desenvolvimento de ferramentas e-mental health: O caso de Be a Mom, uma intervenção psicológica online para prevenir a depressão pós-parto

E-mental health tools are a new format of treatment delivery that can increase population’s access to mental health services. Its effectiveness is higher when grounded on evidence-based therapeutic protocols, such as Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT). We aim to understand how CBT principles can be applied in the development of e-mental health tools, more specifically, in web-based interventions. We use the case example of the Be a Mom program, a web-based psychological intervention, grounded on the principles of CBT, designed to prevent postpartum depression and targeting high-risk postpartum women in the Portuguese population. We describe how the design of Be a Mom was grounded in CBT, by addressing: a) general CBT principles; b) its therapeutic mechanisms; and c) organization of sessions. Also, we discuss the relevance of the therapeutic alliance in web-based interventions and the importance of evidence-based interventions. By providing insight on how the principles of CBT can be operationalized in an innovative delivery format, we can contribute to the further development of web-based interventions, as well as to increase awareness and knowledge among mental health professionals about the similarities between the principles underlying web-based and face-to-face CBT interventions.As ferramentas e-mental health são um novo formato de aplicação de intervenções que potenciam o acesso da população aos serviços de saúde mental. A sua eficácia é maior quando são assentes em protocolos terapêuticos baseados na evidência, como a Terapia Cognitivo-Comportamental (TCC). Assim, procuramos compreender como os princípios da TCC podem ser aplicados no desenvolvimento de ferramentas de saúde mental, mais especificamente, em intervenções psicológicas online. Utilizámos o caso-exemplo do programa Be a Mom, uma intervenção psicológica online, assente nos princípios da TCC, concebida para prevenir a depressão pós-parto e destinada a mulheres em risco elevado no período pós-parto. Descrevemos como o design do Be a Mom foi fundamentado na TCC, considerando: a) princípios gerais da TCC; b) os seus mecanismos terapêuticos; e c) a organização de sessões. Também discutimos a relevância da aliança terapêutica em intervenções online e a importância de intervenções baseadas na evidência. Ao esclarecer como os princípios da TCC podem ser operacionalizados num formato inovador, podemos contribuir para o desenvolvimento de intervenções online, bem como para o aumento da consciencialização e do conhecimento nos profissionais de saúde mental sobre as semelhanças entre os princípios subjacentes às intervenções de TCC online e presenciais

Turismo comunitário: enquadramento conceptual, organizacional e impacte

Mestrado em Gestão e Planeamento em TurismoA presente dissertação teve como objetivo analisar o processo de elaboração e implementação de viagens de turismo comunitário e identificar os potenciais benefícios para as comunidades recetoras de viagens de turismo comunitário, segundo a perceção de organizações europeias que trabalham na organização deste tipo de viagens. Para este efeito, foi efetuada uma reflexão teórica em termos concetuais de forma a enquadrar o conceito do turismo comunitário em conceitos mais abrangentes tendo-se verificado que este se enquadra em primeira instância no turismo justo e solidário, depois no turismo responsável e por último no turismo sustentável ou, como é defendido por vários autores, no desenvolvimento sustentável no contexto do turismo. Após a referida reflexão entendeu-se que seria importante avaliar os impactes do turismo comunitário nas comunidades recetoras segundo a perceção das organizações europeias que trabalham neste âmbito. Para este efeito, foram analisados dados secundários e recorreu-se, igualmente, a dados primários, utilizando um inquérito por questionário aberto que foi aplicado a 47 organizações europeias entre maio e julho de 2011. Na informação recolhida verificou-se que existe um forte envolvimento das organizações europeias que organizam viagens de turismo comunitário com as comunidades onde ocorrem estas viagens, o qual decorre do facto de realizarem um trabalho direto com as organizações locais, maximizando os benefícios das comunidades, através do pagamento dos serviços prestados na viagem propriamente dita e, muitas vezes, participando e promovendo projetos comunitários em diversas áreas. Em termos de impactes destacam-se os benefícios, porém, também foram indicados alguns custos. Nos benefícios realçam-se o incremento da autoestima da mulher; a recuperação e valorização de saberes e práticas ancestrais; a diversificação produtiva, o incremento dos recursos económicos e, ainda, beneficiações de infraestruturas e dinamização da economia local.This dissertation aimed to examine the process of elaboration and implementation of the travels of community tourism and identify the potential benefits for the communities receiving these travels in the perspective of European organizations laboring on the arrangements of this type of travels. To achieve this, a theoretical reflection was realized in conceptual terms for others to conceive the concept of community tourism in wide-ranging aspects and it was found that it corresponds well firstly to fair and solidarity tourism, secondly responsible tourism and lastly sustainable tourism. Alternatively, as advocated by several authors, it also complies in the context of sustainable development in tourism. Following this discussion, it was acknowledged that it would be substantial to assess the impacts of community tourism recipients according to the perspective of European organizations laboring on the arrangements of this type of travels. In accordance with this purpose, the secondary data (as well as primary data) was analyzed by a survey using the inquiry of open-ended questionnaire which was applied to 47 European organizations between the dates of May and July in 2011. From the acquired information, it is verified that there exists a strong involvement of the European organizations with the communities due to the fact that these organizations realize a direct work with the local organizations by maximizing the benefits of the communities through the payment of services given during the trip and many times by participating and promoting community projects in different areas. In terms of the impacts which emphasize the benefits, however, some costs were also indicated. These benefits highlighted the role of the women/development of their self-esteem, the recovery of the knowledge and ancestral practices; the productive diversification, the increasing of the economical resources and even benefaction of infra-structures and dynamization of the local economy

Restoration and rehabilitation of degraded land in arid and semiarid environments: Editorial

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Using chlorophyll a fluorescence imaging to select desiccation-tolerant native moss species for water-sustainable green roofs

Green roofs have been more thoroughly investigated in the last few years due to the potential benefits they o er to ecosystems in urban areas (e.g., carbon sequestration, particle retention, heat island e ect attenuation). However, current climate change models predict an increase in desertification, with an increase in temperature and decrease in rainfall, which means there is an increasing demand for green roofs with lower water consumption. Vegetation with very little water requirements, such as desiccation-tolerant mosses, has shown a potential to complement or substitute for vascular species, increasing the sustainability of lower water use in green roofs. In this study, we use chlorophyll a fluorescence imaging to screen for bryophytes with adequate physiology to be used in green roofs placed in at-risk areas with prolonged drought episodes. Apart from Hypnum cupressiforme, all selected species presented a high potential for use in those conditions, particularly Didymodon fallax, Grimmia lisae, Pleurochaete squarrosa, and Targionia hypophylla. Chlorophyll a fluorescence imaging technology proved to be a simple and non-invasive tool for a fast screening of these poikilohydric organisms, to be used in future studies of bryophyte biology, but more importantly in the green roof industryinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Selecting potential moss species for green roofs in the Mediterranean Basin

Green roofs are important infrastructures to address the e ects of climate change in urban areas. However, most studies and applications have been done in cooler and wetter regions of the northern hemisphere. Climate change will lead to more extreme weather events, such as increased drought and decreased precipitation with intense flash rain events. Increase desertification is expected especially in the Mediterranean Basin, where in summer, radiation and temperature are high and water is scarce. Therefore, while vascular plants increase water consumption in green roofs during warmer periods, mosses present themselves as potential candidates due to their poikilohydric nature, responding to the environmental availability of water, completely drying out and recovering upon rehydration. Although criteria for the selection of vascular plants adapted to the Mediterranean and suitable for green roofs have been developed, no information is available regarding the selection of mosses based on scientific criteria. Here we propose selection criteria for moss species based on ecological preferences according to Ellenberg’s values and help to define moss traits suitable for a nonirrigated, nature-based green roof that tolerates the Mediterranean climate. The main result is a table of potential candidate mosses that can be either used as standalone or in conjunction with vascular plants to decrease water usage and/or manage stormwater through an easily applicable selection methodology. For green roof practitioners, we proposed that acrocarpous mosses exhibiting turf/cushion life forms and colonist or perennial life strategies best fit the requirements for such a green infrastructure in extreme climate regions with scarce water resourcesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

How Do Taxonomic and Functional Diversity Metrics Change Along an Aridity Gradient in a Tropical Dry Forest?

Ecological indicators based on biodiversity metrics are valuable and cost-effective tools to quantify, track and understand the effects of climate change on ecosystems. Studying changes in these indicators along climatic gradients in space is a common approach to infer about potential impacts of climate change over time, overcoming the limitations of lack of sufficiently long time-series data. Here, we studied the response of complementary biodiversity metrics in plants: taxonomic diversity (species richness and Simpson index) and functional diversity (diversity and redundancy) in 113 sampling sites along a spatial aridity gradient (from 0.27 to 0.69 of aridity index-AI) of 700 km in a Tropical dry forest. We found different responses of taxonomic and functional diversity metrics to aridity. Species diversity showed a hump-shaped curve peaking at intermediate levels of aridity between 0.38 and 0.52 AI as an ecotone, probably because it is where most species, from both drier and more mesic environments, still find conditions to co-exist. Functional diversity showed a positive linear relation with increasing aridity, suggesting higher aridity favors drought-adapted species with diverse functional traits. In contrast, redundancy showed a negative linear relation with increasing aridity, indicating that drier sites have few species sharing the same functional traits and resource acquisition strategies. Thus, despite the increase in functional diversity toward drier sites, these communities are less resilient since they are composed of a small number of plant species with unique functions, increasing the chances that the loss of one of such "key species" could lead to the loss of key ecosystem functions. These findings show that the integration of complementary taxonomic and functional diversity metrics, beyond the individual response of each one, is essential for reliably tracking the impacts of climate change on ecosystems. This work also provides support to the use of these biodiversity metrics as ecological indicators of the potential impact of climate change on drylands over time.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio