Climate variability impacts on coastal dune slack ecohydrology

The hydrological regime of freshwater systems plays a crucial role in shaping the dynamics of the different biological communities that inhabit them. Climate change is expected to cause major alterations in the hydrological regime of dune slacks by producing shifts in temperature, precipitation and evapotranspiration. Across seasons, we explore the controls on common water fleas (Cladocera) and aquatic plant communities relative to water level regime, water chemistry, weather and geomorphological setting, in a slack of the Sheskinmore dune system, Co. Donegal, northwest Ireland. Cladoceran abundance and diversity peak in summer, but also vary inter-annually, and drivers for this and hydrological variability are discussed. Vegetation is likewise affected by hydrology in a spatial sense, where distribution follows wet/dry patches of water. Water chemistry is more variable within the same season than across different years, particularly related to the drying out of the slack. Rainfall through 2016-2017 was lower than average and evapotranspiration showed higher values than average for the same time period. The influence on the slack of this decreased precipitation extended across successive seasons. The water table is the most important driver of slack ecology, with incidence on biological communities expressed by the increased variability inter-annually, as opposed to seasonal variation

Dactylorhiza elata, Stately Dactylorhiza

Mediterranean regional assessment: Near Threatened (NT) The species is found from southwestern Europe and northwestern Africa. In two countries within the Mediterranean distribution (France and Portugal) populations or habitat of this species have declined by more than 30% over three generations. In another two countries (Algeria and Morocco) a similar decline is suspected but cannot yet be confirmed, and in Spain populations appear to be relatively abundant however there is no information on population trends. Elsewhere the species is known only from singlesites in Sardinia and Tunisia. whilst the extent of occurrence is very large, the area of occupancy (AOO) is possibly restricted however distribution data are inadequate to confirm the AOO. Therefore whilst the rate of decline cannot be measured throughout the range of the species, the Mediterranean population decline is confirmed, it is ongoing and is not reversible, consequently this species is close to classification as Vulnerable (A2c and A4c). Further to this, if monitoring data become available to provide an indication of population trends in Spain and these show that it is in decline then it is clear that the species should be considered threatened at both the Mediterranean and global scales. This species is therefore classed as Near Threatened, approaching Vulnerable (A2c+4c)

Art and the politics of Beatrice of Portugal in Savoy, between France and the Emp

UID/HIS/04666/2019publishersversionpublishe

A importância da informação financeira e da auditoria externa para as comissões de trabalhadores enquanto utentes das demonstrações financeiras : estudo de caso do sector bancário português

Mestrado em AuditoriaA credibilidade da informação financeira auditada é uma questão importante para a economia e para a sociedade, na qual se incluem os trabalhadores. Esta investigação tem como objectivos, a análise da temática relativa à importância da informação financeira e da auditoria externa para as comissões coordenadoras das Comissões de Trabalhadores do sector bancário português, no uso do seu direito à informação e consulta, bem como sobre a existência de diferenças de expectativas em auditoria neste grupo. A metodologia baseia-se num questionário aos membros dessas Comissões de Trabalhadores. Conclui-se que a informação financeira é considerada importante e utilizada de forma regular, no entanto, a certificação legal de contas é analisada por um menor grupo de inquiridos. As fraudes, os actos ilegais e a continuidade são os principais tópicos apurados nas diferenças de expectativas. Constatam-se necessidades de formação e de desenvolvimento de instrumentos específicos para auxiliar estes stakeholders na utilização da informação financeira a que legalmente têm direito a aceder

Legal Gender Recognition in Portugal: A Path to Self-Determination

This paper presents research on the enforcement and impact of the first legal gender recognition legislation in Portugal (Law no.7/2011). The study describes how the administrative process created by the law functioned during its initial 5-year period, and identifies challenges and processes of resistance to this legal innovation. Simultaneously, it seeks to assess the impact of the law on the social and psychological well-being of trans people, including in their access to vital spheres of social life such as education and employment. The research employs a mixed-methods approach and a multi-informant methodology: an online questionnaire was completed by 68 trans and non-binary people, and semi-structured in-depth interviews were carried out with various selected stakeholders: representatives of trans and LGBTIQ+ organisations (n=5), health professionals identified as experts in the topic and as gatekeepers in legal gender recognition processes (n=12), and trans people (n=6). Results show, on the one hand, the significant positive impact that legal gender recognition has on the psychological well-being and social welfare of the participants. On the other hand, results also show several challenges and forms of resistance to the implementation of the law, in particular those challenges resulting from the fact that legal gender recognition depended on a clinical diagnosis and the provision of a clinical report

Analysis of take-back decisions regarding electrical and electronic equipment waste in Portugal

Este artigo tem como objetivo analisar os determinantes da decisão de entrega dos EEE em fim de vida para reciclagem, avaliando as motivações e os interesses dos utilizadores destes equipamentos em relação ao mercado de retoma dos EEE em Fim de Vida. Os resultados obtidos indicam que existe uma falta de sensibilidade dos consumidores para o processo de retoma dos seus equipamentos. Por outro lado, mostram que as condições de informação e as características sociodemográficas interferem nos desejos dos consumidores para a devolução dos seus REE. Neste âmbito, pode-se concluir que o mercado de retoma de EEE em Fim de Vida em Portugal se encontra em fase de crescimento nomeadamente ao nível de estratégias de retoma e competitividade.This paper aims to investigate the determinants of consumers’ decision to take-back Electrical and Electronic Equipment Waste in Portugal. It assesses users’ perception of these items, evaluating the motivations and interests they have concerning the market of electrical and electronic equipment waste. Results indicate a lack of awareness by consumers about the process of take-back available for their equipment. On the other hand, results show that information conditions and sociodemographic factors affect consumers' motivations for returning the electrical and electronic equipment at the end of life. In this context, it can be concluded that the Portuguese market for the recovery of Electrical and Electronic Equipment Waste is still in its infancy, particularly in terms of recovery strategies and competitiveness

Complex order van der Pol oscillator

In this paper a complex-order van der Pol oscillator is considered. The complex derivative Dα±ȷβ , with α,β∈R + is a generalization of the concept of integer derivative, where α=1, β=0. By applying the concept of complex derivative, we obtain a high-dimensional parameter space. Amplitude and period values of the periodic solutions of the two versions of the complex-order van der Pol oscillator are studied for variation of these parameters. Fourier transforms of the periodic solutions of the two oscillators are also analyzed

Fractional central pattern generators for bipedal locomotion

Locomotion has been a major research issue in the last few years. Many models for the locomotion rhythms of quadrupeds, hexapods, bipeds and other animals have been proposed. This study has also been extended to the control of rhythmic movements of adaptive legged robots. In this paper, we consider a fractional version of a central pattern generator (CPG) model for locomotion in bipeds. A fractional derivative D α f(x), with α non-integer, is a generalization of the concept of an integer derivative, where α=1. The integer CPG model has been proposed by Golubitsky, Stewart, Buono and Collins, and studied later by Pinto and Golubitsky. It is a network of four coupled identical oscillators which has dihedral symmetry. We study parameter regions where periodic solutions, identified with legs’ rhythms in bipeds, occur, for 0<α≤1. We find that the amplitude and the period of the periodic solutions, identified with biped rhythms, increase as α varies from near 0 to values close to unity

Habitat Variation in Vernal Pool Ecosystems on Both Sides of the Strait of Gibraltar

We studied vernal pool (VP) ecosystems along a latitudinal gradient crossing the Strait of Gibraltar in order to determine its role in the distribution of VP plant communities. We analyzed flora, vegetation, physical–chemical water parameters, and climatic data from two vernal pool areas on both the European (Iberian) and African (Moroccan) sides of the Strait. Despite the minor distance between both territories, the pools clearly differed in species composition and ecology. However, they showed a similar vegetation zonation in growth forms, including isoetid, batrachiid, and helophytic vegetation. The distribution of the plant communities was related to nutrient load, temperature, and precipitation. Water nitrate concentration was higher in Morocco, where VPs are characterized by Isoetes velata subsp. adspersa and Ranunculus saniculifolius communities. Iberian VPs had lower water nitrate content, and were characterized by Isoetes velata subsp. velata and Ranunculus peltatus communities. We think this nutrient difference is likely to be caused by the different land management regime on each side of the Strait, with more intensive agriculture in Morocco. Long-term (historical) and present-day (ecological) processes have been proposed to account for the habitat variation in vernal pool ecosystems on both sides of the Strait of Gibraltar