Guadiana, fragmento de um rio...

pp. 377-379F R A G M E N T O PRIMEIRO Geografia e Quadro Natural Grande rio em terras lusitanas, fronteira natural, percorre incansável o seu curso, criando paisagens de intenso contraste. Vales profundos e escarpados sucedem-se à ampliUide e calma do seu traçado em terras planas. Oposição entre o inóspito e a aridez agreste, traduzida pela probeza cmel das serranias, e a tranqüilidade e riqueza dos campos quase permanentemente verdes. Imperturbável modela a rocha, cumprindo a missão de a esculpir de maneira original, porque o tempo geológico tem outra dimensão e as obras são sublimes. Ninguém pode ficar indiferente perante o Pulo do Lobo, as cascatas, os vales suspensos e os planos de água plenos de vida

modernização da agricultura do final da década de 70 do século XX

UID/SOC/04647/2013A modernização na agricultura no final da década de 70 do século XX, no Brasil, ajudada pela tecnologia, permitiu ao mercado disponibilizar uma ampla gama de equipamentos tecnológicos para o uso agrícola. Tal causou o avanço agrícola para áreas impróprias para esse tipo de atividade econômica como, por exemplo, a região dos municípios de Jataí e Serranópolis no Estado de Goiás/Brasil. Desde então, tem-se verificado um aumento do número de áreas com solos degradados nessa região, sendo urgente a procura de ações mitigadoras. Assim, este trabalho tem por objetivo, através de imagens de satélites e revisão bibliográfica, mostrar como ocorreram as mudanças de usos das terras impulsionadas por políticas de expansão agrícola do governo a partir da década de 70 do século XX, e que resultou atualmente na degradação dos solos. A partir dos resultados obtidos, foi possível propor como metodologia de avaliação da degradação desses solos a Indentificação de Áreas Ambientalmente Sensíveis.publishersversionpublishe

Diversity and Cytogenomic Characterization of Wild Carrots in the Macaronesian Islands

The Macaronesian islands constitute an enormous reservoir of genetic variation of wild carrots (subtribe Daucinae; Apiaceae), including 10 endemic species, but an accurate understanding of the diversification processes within these islands is still lacking. We conducted a review of the morphology, ecology, and conservation status of the Daucinae species and, on the basis of a comprehensive dataset, we estimated the genome size variation for 16 taxa (around 320 samples) occurring in different habitats across the Macaronesian islands in comparison to mainland specimens. Results showed that taxa with larger genomes (e.g., Daucus crinitus: 2.544 pg) were generally found in mainland regions, while the insular endemic taxa from Azores and Cabo Verde have smaller genomes. Melanoselinum decipiens and Monizia edulis, both endemic to Madeira Island, showed intermediate values. Positive correlations were found between mean genome size and some morphological traits (e.g., spiny or winged fruits) and also with habit (herbaceous or woody). Despite the great morphological variation found within the Cabo Verde endemic species, the 2Cvalues obtained were quite homogeneous between these taxa and the subspecies of Daucus carota, supporting the close relationship among these taxa. Overall, this study improved the global knowledge of DNA content for Macaronesian endemics and shed light into the mechanisms underpinning diversity patterns of wild carrots in the western Mediterranean regioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Genome size variation within Crithmum maritimum: Clues on the colonization of insular environments

Angiosperms present an astonishing diversity of genome sizes that can vary intra- or interspecifically. The remarkable new cytogenomic data shed some light on our understanding of evolution, but few studies were performed with insular and mainland populations to test possible correlations with dispersal, speciation, and adaptations to insular environments. Here, patterns of cytogenomic diversity were assessed among geographic samples (ca. 114) of Crithmum maritimum (Apiaceae), collected across the Azores and Madeira archipelagos, as well as in adjacent continental areas of Portugal. Using flow cytometry, the results indicated a significant intraspecific genome size variation, spanning from reduced sizes in the insular populations to larger ones in the mainland populations. Moreover, there was a tendency for an increase in genome size along the mainland populations, associated with lower temperatures, higher precipitation, and lower precipitation seasonality. However, this gradient might be the result of historic phylogeographical events associated with previous dispersal and extinction of local populations. Overall, our findings provided evidence that smaller genome sizes might play a critical role in the colonization of islands, corroborating other studies that argue that organisms with smaller genomes use fewer resources, having a selective advantage under insular environments. Although further studies are needed to improve our understanding of the mechanisms underlying genome size evolution on islands, conservation strategies must be promoted to protect the rich cytogenomic diversity found among C. maritimum populations, which occur in coastal areas that are particularly threatened by human activity, pollution, invasive species, and climate changes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Framework for Climate Change Adaptation of Agriculture and Forestry in Mediterranean Climate Regions

Planning the adaptation of agriculture and forestry landscapes to climate change remains challenging due to the need for integrating substantial amounts of information. This information ranges from climate scenarios, geographical site information, socio-economic data and several possible adaptation measures. Thus, there is an urgent need to have a framework that is capable of organizing adaptation strategies and measures in the agriculture and forestry sectors in Mediterranean climatic regions. Additionally, this framework should provide a cause effect relation with climate vulnerability to adequately support the development of adaptation planning at municipal and local (farm) level. In this context, we propose to test and evaluate a framework for climate adaptation of the agriculture and forestry sectors, based on the local causal-effect relation between adaptation strategies and measures and the level of vulnerability reduction achieved for Mediterranean areas. The framework was developed based on the combination of the DPSIR (Driving forces, Pressures, State, Impacts, Responses) and Vulnerability frameworks and reviewed 162 practical adaptation measures, further organized into strategies, complemented by a set of efficacy indicators. The framework was tested with 70 stakeholders in six stakeholder workshops for the planning of two farms and one municipal climate adaptation study, that are now in actual implementation and monitoring. The framework is composed by a set of eight adaptation strategies in which adaptation measures are clustered and assessed using efficacy indicators. In the evaluation of the adaptation framework, 96% of stakeholders considered its content as good or very good and 89% considered the final outcomes as good or very good. Finally, the framework was also used to assess and compare the adaptation strategies and measures presented in the climate adaptation plans of the three case studies. On average, 52.2% of the adaptation measures selected by the three case studies are dedicated to Ecosystem Resilience, 30.9% to Adaptive Capacity, 9.1% to Microclimates, 7.4% to Protection, and 0.3% to Mitigation strategies. This framework was considered effective in supporting adaptation planning at farm and municipal levels and useful to assess and compare adaptation plans in the frame of vulnerability reduction. Future studies can further contribute to support adaptation planning in these sectors by using, developing and streamlining this framework to additional and different socio-ecological contextsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Chlamydia trachomatis: when the virulence-associated genome backbone imports a prevalence-associated major antigen signature

Chlamydia trachomatis is the most prevalent sexually transmitted bacterium worldwide and the causative agent of trachoma. Its strains are classified according to their ompA genotypes, which are strongly linked to differential tissue tropism and disease outcomes [ocular disease, urogenital disease and lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV)]. While the genome-based species phylogenetic tree presents four main clades correlating with tropism/prevalence, namely ocular, LGV, urogenital T1 (more prevalent genotypes) and urogenital T2 (less prevalent genotypes), inter-clade exchange of ompA is considered a rare phenomenon probably mediating marked tropism alterations. An LGV epidemic, associated with the clonal expansion of the L2b genotype, has emerged in the last few decades, raising concerns particularly due to its atypical clinical presentation (ulcerative proctitis) and circulation among men who have sex with men (MSM). Here, we report an LGV outbreak, mostly affecting human immunodeficiency virus-positive MSM engaging in high-risk sexual practices, caused by an L2b strain with a rather unique non-LGV ompA signature that precluded the laboratory notification of this outbreak as LGV. C. trachomatis whole-genome capture and sequencing directly from clinical samples was applied to deeply characterize the genomic backbone of this novel LGV outbreak-causing clone. It revealed a chimeric genome structure due to the genetic transfer of ompA and four neighbouring genes from a serovar D/Da strain, likely possessing the genomic backbone associated with the more prevalent urogenital genotypes (T1 clade), to an LGV (L2b) strain. The hybrid L2b/D-Da strain presents the adhesin and immunodominant antigen MOMP (major outer membrane protein) (encoded by ompA) with an epitope repertoire typical of non-invasive genital strains, while keeping the genome-dispersed virulence fingerprint of a classical LGV strain. As previously reported for inter-clade ompA exchange among non-LGV clades, this novel C. trachomatis genomic mosaic involving a contemporary epidemiologically and clinically relevant LGV strain may have implications on its transmission, tissue tropism and pathogenic capabilities. The emergence of variants with epidemic and pathogenic potential highlights the need for more focused surveillance strategies to capture C. trachomatis evolution in action.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

HIV-1-Transmitted Drug Resistance and Transmission Clusters in Newly Diagnosed Patients in Portugal Between 2014 and 2019

Objective: To describe and analyze transmitted drug resistance (TDR) between 2014 and 2019 in newly infected patients with HIV-1 in Portugal and to characterize its transmission networks. Methods: Clinical, socioepidemiological, and risk behavior data were collected from 820 newly diagnosed patients in Portugal between September 2014 and December 2019. The sequences obtained from drug resistance testing were used for subtyping, TDR determination, and transmission cluster (TC) analyses. Results: In Portugal, the overall prevalence of TDR between 2014 and 2019 was 11.0%. TDR presented a decreasing trend from 16.7% in 2014 to 9.2% in 2016 (p for-trend = 0.114). Multivariate analysis indicated that TDR was significantly associated with transmission route (MSM presented a lower probability of presenting TDR when compared to heterosexual contact) and with subtype (subtype C presented significantly more TDR when compared to subtype B). TC analysis corroborated that the heterosexual risk group presented a higher proportion of TDR in TCs when compared to MSMs. Among subtype A1, TDR reached 16.6% in heterosexuals, followed by 14.2% in patients infected with subtype B and 9.4% in patients infected with subtype G. Conclusion: Our molecular epidemiology approach indicates that the HIV-1 epidemic in Portugal is changing among risk group populations, with heterosexuals showing increasing levels of HIV-1 transmission and TDR. Prevention measures for this subpopulation should be reinforced.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio