Photography, Land-Cover and Land-Use changes, and tourism urbanization: A narrative focused on Hotel do Garbe, Armação de Pêra, Algarve, Portugal

This article is focused on the use of photography to characterize land-cover and land-use changes in a 7.59 km2 study area centered on Hotel do Garbe, in the village of Armação de Pêra, Algarve, Portugal. Orthorectified vertical aerial, oblique aerial and ground-level photographs were the main data sources required to carry out the analysis. In a preliminary approach, a conventional research design was adopted. Based on the available orthorectified vertical aerial photographs, a sixty-year time series, with four homogeneously distributed steps (1958, 1978, 1997 and 2018), was constructed, and maps were produced to support the description of the changes that have taken place. To deepen the analysis, photographs from fourteen picture postcards were recognized as a useful source of information, and the authors of these photographs were considered “involuntary or accidental photo-geographers” whose work was relevant to feed a case study in which human geography and landscape biography sciences are the main narrative axes. The final result proved to be richer than the interpretation only based on the orthorectified vertical aerial photographs, and the importance of combining photographs taken from different points of view, with different aims and for different recipients is highlighted.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Presence of fibropapillomatosis in green turtles Chelonia mydas at Príncipe Island in the Gulf of Guinea

Fibropapillomatosis is a transmissible and life threatening disease associated with one or more herpesviruses that are afflicting sea turtles worldwide (Herbst 1994). First documented on green turtles Chelonia mydas (Quackenbush et al. 1998), since the 1990's it has been found on other species, like hawksbills Eretmochelys imbricata (D’Amato & Moraes-Neto 2000; Williams & Bunkley-Williams 1996), olive ridleys Lepidochelys olivacea (Herbst 1994), loggerheads Caretta caretta (Aguirre 1998; Harms et al. 2008), and leatherbacks Dermochelys coriacea (Huerta et al. 2000). The etiology and prevalence of fibropapillomatosis are not fully understood and further research is needed. Even so, it is accepted that pelagic juveniles are free of the disease when recruiting to coastal foraging grounds (Ehrhart et al. 2000). [...

The status of Ischnura senegalensis (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) in Cape Verde

The first record of a zygopteran breeding population in the Cape Verde archipelago is presented. A small population of Ischnura senegalensis (Rambur, 1842) was found living in the lagoon 'Lagoinha', Santiago island, where the species was observed in all seven surveys conducted between May 2014 and June 2015. Reproductive behaviour was repeatedly observed and exuviae were found and collected

Cultural accessible pedestrian ways. The case of Faro historic centre

In a historic city the existence of accessible pedestrian routes constitutes an essential feature to a true access to culture heritage, contributing for processes of social inclusion. It is necessary to create accessible pedestrian infrastructures network to hold a set of attributes that guarantee usability for all citizens. The creation and design of an accessible physical environment should be considered as a criterion of urban quality, which will make walking more pleasant not only for the elderly and people with disabilities but, also, for the entire resident population and tourists. In this case study it is ascertainable whether the physical characteristics of pedestrian infrastructures of cultural interest, located in the Historical Centre of Faro (Portugal), comply with the requirements of the National Law of Accessibility. There has, therefore, been created a methodology for evaluating the accessibility of pedestrian infrastructure through the construction of performance indicators. The analysis is achieved through a model of evaluation of the degree of conformity of the spaces, and presented, spatially, with appeal to a Geographical Information System, which is a tool to support the decision taking in the processes of urban rehabilitation, thus contributing to the choice of priority areas of intervention in the field of accessibility. The diagnosis confirms the existence of inaccessible pedestrian infrastructure and concludes the need to trigger processes of urban renovation.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Long-term changes in cork oak and holm oak patches connectivity. The Algarve, Portugal, a Mediterranean landscape case study

Structural connectivity can be inferred by several landscape metrics that appear to be relevant for characterizing how landscapes constrain or favor the presence and movement of animal species at the level of the regional landscape. Trends of change can be estimated trough spatial time-series analysis. The use of historical maps increases the time span of analysis of the landscape dynamic, relative to the use of remote sensing-related information. Supported by GIS, in this study, a framework for the analyses of the long-term trends of change in the connectivity of the Algarve regional landscape was used to seize the possibility of expanding the span of the spatial time series by integrating an unpublished agricultural and forest map from the turn of the 19th to the 20th century with another historical map and two recent maps. The total area covered by cork and holm oak-related community patches and their connectivity increased over the 20th century and stabilized in the 21st century. A reflection on Portuguese contemporary land-cover policies is urged, to face the sustainable planning and management challenges concerning biodiversity.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Praia Grande of Príncipe Island (Gulf of Guinea): an important nesting beach for the green turtle Chelonia mydas

The beach Praia Grande, on Príncipe Island (Gulf of Guinea, West Africa), hosts a green turtle rookery. A total of 219 clutches with an average size of 111 eggs were laid by the 88 females that nested there during the 2007-2008 nesting season. During the nesting season 2009-2010, 315 clutches, averaging 104 eggs, were laid by the 112 females that were recorded. During both seasons, nesting began in early September and lasted until late February, with a peak in December-January. In the 2009-2010 nesting season, the clutch frequency was 2.7 (SD = 1.3) and the average renesting interval 12.3 days (SD = 1.8). The average incubation duration of the clutches that were incubated in situ, shaded by the existing natural vegetation, was 60.4 days (SD = 1.4) However, throughout the 2007-2008 nesting season almost all the clutches were incubated in an unshaded hatchery and the average incubation duration was 3.2 days shorter. The data published here is the first report concerning the green turtle rookery on Praia Grande, Príncipe Island

The winds and the waves that carved out today’s coastal landscape of Sines (Portugal)

The Atlantic maritime winds and waves, as natural forces, shaped the physiography of Sines, a peculiar rocky cliff cape at the western Portuguese coast, as well as cultural processes have shaped its spatial arrangement since ancient times. Despite its small size, Sines port has always been an important maritime trade corner. In the 1970s, winds and waves of modernity reached the Sines coast with an imposing industrial-port complex. We present the history of Sines cape focusing on its landscape dynamics. The patch-corridor-matrix model allowed us to describe the mosaic transformation of such a unique landscape. Spatial information was gathered mostly from historical maps processed with digital tools. A time series of thematic maps (landscape mosaic pattern) was obtained, covering more than 120 years. Current results emphasize that this landscape underwent relevant transformations related to human activities since former times, although disturbance and fragmentation of the landscape were strongly intensified after the arrival of the post-modern wave of the industrial culture. The present study provides a contribution to the history of the Portuguese and Mediterranean coastal landscapes; and results could be used to support decision making in sustainable management of this territory.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Análise da acessibilidade de percursos culturais em Faro. Um contributo para a regeneração urbana e o turismo acessível

O Turismo Acessível para Todos atende ao desenvolvimento de atividades de lazer e tempo livre por todo o tipo de pessoas, independentemente das suas condições físicas, sensoriais, sociais ou culturais. Acontece que na sociedade há um conjunto de barreiras físicas que limitam a atividade turística das pessoas com mobilidade reduzida, sobretudo as com deficiência. Os princípios do Design Universal devem incorporar-se no desenho urbano das cidades, na arquitetura dos edifícios, nos meios de transporte e nas tecnologias de informação e comunicação, de forma a promover a inclusão social e qualidade de vida de todos. Com esta comunicação pretende-se apresentar a análise e o diagnóstico das condições de acessibilidade universal da rede de percursos pedonais, de interesse cultural, localizada no Centro Histórico da cidade de Faro. Pretende averiguar-se se as suas características físicas respeitam as exigências do Regime Jurídico Na-cional da Acessibilidade. O diagnóstico é concretizado através de um modelo de avaliação do grau de conformidade dos espaços considerando parâmetros de acessibilidade urbanística. A metodologia aplicada, através de um Sistema de Informação Geográfica, constitui um instrumento de apoio à decisão nos processos de regeneração urbana. Os resultados apontam para situações de inacessibilidade nos percursos culturais comprometendo os objeti-vos do turismo acessível e sustentável.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Pseudomonads from wild free-living sea turtles in Principe Island, Gulf of Guinea

Dissemination of antibiotic resistance is a major concern, especially in aquatic environments, where pollution contributes for resistant bacteria selection. These strains may have serious health implications, especially for endangered species, including the sea turtles' hawksbill Eretmochelys imbricata and green turtles Chelonia mydas. We aimed to evaluate the presence of antibiotic resistant pseudomonads in wild sea turtles from Principe Island, Sao Tome and Principe, Guinea Gulf. Isolates were obtained from oral and cloacal swabs of free-living turtles by conventional techniques. Pseudomonads screening was performed by multiplex-PCR (oprl/oprL) and biochemical identification and antibiotic resistance profiling were achieved using Vitek2. All pseudomonad isolates were genotyped by Rep-PCR. Thirteen isolates were oprl-positive and classified as pseudomonads, eight from the genus Pseudomonas with the species P. aeruginosa, P. stutzeri, and P. mendocina, and five co-isolated Alcaligenes faecalis. The P. aeruginosa isolate was also oprL-positive. Regarding isolates susceptibility profile, 38.5% were susceptible to all antibiotics tested, and multidrug resistant (MDR) strains were not identified. DNA fingerprinting did not show any specific clonal-cluster similarity. Data on the worldwide incidence of antibiotic resistance among wildlife is still very scarce, especially concerning remote tropical areas. Since Pseudomonas genus has emerged as a group of increasingly reported opportunistic microorganisms in human and veterinary medicine with high resistance levels, it could be used as a tool for environmental resistance surveillance, particularly considering their ubiquity.Oceandrio de Lisboa, PortugalMarine Turtle Conservation Act - U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service grantInterdisciplinary Research Centre for Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon (FMV/UL) [UID/CVT/00276/2013]Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Technology, Queen Astrid Military Hospital, Brussels, Belgiuminfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

High variability in nest site selection in a loggerhead turtle rookery, in Boa Vista Island, Cabo Verde

Among sea turtles, nest site selection is a crucial factor for hatching success and population viability. The relocation of otherwise doomed clutches to safe hatcheries has been widely promoted as a conservation strategy, although this may promote artificial selection of poorly adapted genotypes. In this study, we used multiyear spatial nesting data of individual loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) from one of the largest Atlantic rookeries, in Cabo Verde, across six consecutive nesting seasons (2013–2018), to identify spatial nesting patterns, assess how individual nest site selection is influenced by female size and age, and estimate the impacts on the reproductive output. Although females nested across the entire beach width, they preferentially nested in the middle of the beach, avoiding to nest both close to the tideline and close to the vegetation line. Hatching success decreased towards the waterline, while the risk of nest inundation or predation was high, regardless of nest location. In general, females showed high variability in nest site selection, except larger females (> 93 cm curved carapace length) that showed higher repeatability (r = 0.50, SE = 0.14, 95% CI: 0.16–0.72) in distances to the vegetation. We therefore suggest that the relocation of doomed clutches should be considered for this endangered rookery, as clutch relocation should not substantially distort the gene pool, assuming nest choice is a heritable trait. In addition, we recommend the preservation of beach vegetation, particularly in areas with human developmet.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio