Natividade Ribeiro Vieira

University of Porto | UP · Departamento de Biologia

Background: Most European rivers have not yet achieved "good" ecological status. In addition, the presence and abundance of microplastics (MPs) in freshwater is a matter of great concern to the scientific community. Methodology: This study assesses the ecological status of four sampling sites of Selho (S1-S4) and Costa-Couros (C1-C4) rivers (Gui...

Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitously present in the world’s seas with unknown potential toxic effects on aquatic ecosystems. The aim of this study was to evaluate biochemical responses caused by 1–5 μm diameter plastic fluorescent red polymer microspheres (FRM), under short-term exposure of nauplii and juveniles of Artemia franciscana , using a set...

In recent decades, brine shrimps of the genus Artemia has suffered a major biodiversity loss in the Mediterranean region due to the introduction of the highly invasive A. franciscana. Pollution has been proposed as an important factor limiting this global invasion. Contrary to the general acceptation that pollution tends to favour invasive species,...

Currently, microplastics are dispersed everywhere; from our oceans to our rivers, sediments, organisms, air, and even food resources. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the degree of contamination present in the Portuguese traditional table salts depending on their origin and type of salt. Fourteen samples were selected: seven from fleur de sel...

Assessing the ecological status of a Mediterranean river: benthic invertebrates and diatoms as complementary bioindicators Freshwater is a fundamental component in the health and well-being of humans and ecosystems, and for socioeconomic development. Therefore, it has become essential to manage it in a balanced way due to its importance. To provide...

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Rivers are amongst the most threatened ecosystems in Europe. To prevent further degradation and to improve their ecological status, effective mitigation and restoration actions are needed. Those actions are primarily based on the precision of the ecological assessment results. This study aims to assess the ecological status of two small Mediterrane...

Indices based on community structure provide a global ecological status of the biological communities but they are of limited value as early-warning indicators of contamination. Almost two decades after the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) was adopted, we reviewed publications that measured biomarkers in benthic macroinvertebrates in biomonit...

Biomarkers are recognised sensitive early-warning tools of biological effects in aquatic organisms. In this scope, the main aim of this study was to investigate the potential usefulness of a battery of biomarkers, evaluated in different benthic macroinvertebrate taxa, to discriminate aquatic ecosystems with different levels of ecological status and...

Artemia cysts have a huge economic importance for the aquaculture sector due to the fact that they are used as live feed for larviculture. Microplastics (MPs) are common and emergent pollutants in the aquatic environments, with unknown and potential long-term effects on planktonic species such as Artemia spp. When used as live feed, Artemia could t...

Microplastics (MPs) are plastic particles with less than 5 mm in size that are considered global environmental pollutants. The MPs present in the environment result from the successive breakdown of larger plastic pieces or from the direct input of micro- and nano-sized particles used in various industries and products available to consumers. Such M...

Temperature plays a critical role in survival and reproduction, especially in ectotherms. Therefore, it is important to understand the mechanisms influencing life history traits and reproductive behaviours in order to predict climate change impacts on species' occurrence and performance. Here, we used the crustacean Artemia franciscana to investiga...

The growing economic interest in the exploitation of mineral resources on deep-ocean beds, including those in the vicinity of sensitive-rich habitats such as hydrothermal vents, raise a mounting concern about the damage that such actions might originate to these poorly-know ecosystems, which represent millions of years of evolution and adaptations...

This study aimed to explore the efficiency of two adsorbents, cork granules with different granulometry and titanium dioxide nanomaterial, in the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD), colour and toxicity from a textile effluent. The adsorption assays with cork were unsatisfactory in the removal of chemical parameters however they eliminated the...

Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) can be found in domestic sewage, wastewater treatment plant effluents, natural water, rivers, lakes and in the marine environment. Jurujuba Sound, located in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil, receives untreated sewage into its waters, one the main sources of aquatic contamination in this area. I...

Syngnathus abaster is a pipefish whose distribution is commonly referred as encompassing the Mediterranean and Black Sea, as well as the Atlantic Coast northwards up to the Bay of Biscay. Given the species ability to endure large variation in water salinity, this euryhaline pipefish may now be encountered in a wider variety of aquatic environments,...

The evolutionary radiation of syngnathids has been accompanied by a diversification of structures involved in parental care, from a hypothetical ancestral presenting a simple brooding structure. The architectural simplicity of Nerophis male brooding structures led to the hypothesis that the relationship between father and developing embryos was fee...

Plastic production continues to increase as most developed and developing countries continue to adopt the use-and-dispose culture, while some try to implement regulations in the production and recycling of these materials. This high production associated with their durability, unsustainable use, and inappropriate waste management contributes to...

Atmospheric particulate matter (PM) is a recognized risk factor contributing to a number of diseases in human populations and wildlife globally. Organic matter is a major component of PM, but its contribution to overall toxicity of PM has not been thoroughly evaluated yet. In the present work, the biological activity of organic extracts from PM1 (p...

Water plays a vital and irreplaceable role in the entire ecological balance. The increased human population growth, complemented by an intensification of agriculture, industrial development and urbanization, triggered an increase in pressures on water resources and in its consequent degradation, being that rivers one of the most resources intensive...

While an understanding of evolutionary processes in shifting environments is vital in the context of rapid ecological change, one of the most potent selective forces, sexual selection, remains curiously unexplored. Variation in sexual selection across a species range, especially across a gradient of temperature regimes, has the potential to provide...

The origin and maintenance of mating preferences continues to be an important and controversial topic in sexual selection research. Leks and lek-like mating systems, where individuals gather in particular spots for the sole purpose of mate choice, are particularly puzzling, because the strong directional selection imposed by mate choice should erod...

Cadmium-based quantum dots (QDs) are increasingly applied in existent and emerging technologies, especially in biological applications due to their exceptional photophysical and functionalization properties. However, they are very toxic compounds due to the high reactive and toxic cadmium core. The present study aimed to determine the toxicity of t...

Atmospheric deposition of particulate matter (PM) is recognized as a relevant input vector for toxic compounds, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), into the marine environment. In this work we aimed to analyse the biological activity and potential adverse effects of PM constituents to aquatic organisms. Organic extracts of atmospheric...

Atmospheric deposition of particulate matter (PM) is recognized as a relevant input vector for toxic compounds, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), into the marine environment. In this work we aimed to analyse the biological activity and potential adverse effects of PM constituents to aquatic organisms. Organic extracts of atmospheric...

( There is widespread interest in the conservation of native Artemia biodiversity. In Portugal, only two known populations of native Artemia remain: one in the Rio Maior salina, the other in the Aveiro salina complex, both of the diploid Artemia parthenogenetica species. All other Portuguese hypersaline environments where Artemia can be found have...

Pérdida de biodiversidad en el género Artemia en la región del Mediterraneo Occidental La extinción de poblaciones locales depende de factores intrínsecos que tienen que ver con la biología de las especies, así como de amenazas directas de tipo estocástico o determinístico. Las especies del género Artemia (Branchiopoda, Anostraca), conspicuos pobla...

Contamination of water resources by mine effluents is a serious environmental problem. In a old coal mine, in the north of Portugal (São Pedro da Cova, Gondoma),forty years after the activity has ended, a neutral mine drainage, rich in iron (FE) it stills being produced and it is continuously released in local streams (Ribeiro de Murta e Rio Ferrei...

To understand whether seasons influence the ecological quality assessment of streams on the basis of diatoms, a study was undertaken in two lowland water courses located in northwest Portugal, between autumn 2008 and summer 2009. Temporal variation in the chemical pollution of these streams was small as revealed by a number of physical and chemical...

Atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are environmental pollutants that represent a risk not only to humans, but to all living organisms. High-molecular weight PAHs are more toxic than lighter relatives, and also have a higher tendency to bind onto air particles (i.e., particle matter, PM). PM is a major constituent of air pollution....

Lipophrys pholis has been shown to be responsive to a variety of environmental contaminants, some of them able to impair reproduction. Description of the normal cycle of oogenesis of this newly proposed sentinel species is important since this data may function as a baseline for comparison in ecotoxicological studies, among other applications. Base...

The embryonic and larval development of the pipefish Syngnathus abaster is described, based on ex situ observations. The full development sequence lasted 24-32 days (at 18-19 degrees C), which was shortened to 21 days at higher temperatures (21-22 degrees C). Newborn juveniles, with a uniform dark brown colouration, immediately assumed a benthic sp...

Even though numerous metrics exist, we still appear to be far from a consensual view on the best way of measuring or predicting the potential strength of sexual selection. One of the earliest and simplest metrics devised was the operational sex ratio (OSR) (i.e. the ratio between sexually active males and females in a population), and even, if heav...

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have been reported to disturb several ecological relevant endpoints. Surprisingly, EDC-induced effects on fish sexual behaviour have been poorly studied despite the fact that even subtle alterations might contribute to a disruption of sexual interactions, thus negatively impacting reproduction. As the few asses...

In studies of behaviour, ecology and evolution, identification of individual organisms can be an invaluable tool, capable of unravelling otherwise cryptic information regarding group structure, movement patterns, population size and mating strategies. The use of natural markings is arguably the least invasive method for identification. However, to...

Abstract The recent advances in molecular biology techniques have prompted the use of vitellogenin (VTG) gene expression as a sensitive and reliable indicator of estrogenic chemicals (EC) exposure. However, data on the dynamic response of the different VTGs genes upon EC exposure is still poorly understood, particularly in sentinel fish species use...

There are currently only two places in Portugal were native Artemia parthenogenetica can still be found. All other known populations have been eradicated by the invasive species Artemia franciscana, which has caused great losses of Artemia biodiversity in the Mediterranean region. The diploid strains found at the Portuguese salines are therefore of...

The eradication of native populations of Artemia by the invasive A. franciscana constitutes one of the most conspicuous examples of biodiversity loss in hypersaline aquatic environments. Detailed information on the biological mechanisms that are supporting the invasion process, as well as on the importance of environment variables, is of paramount...

Lipophrys pholis has been shown to be responsive to a variety of environmental contaminants, some of them able to impair reproduction. Description of the normal cycle of oogenesis of this newly proposed sentinel species is important since this data may function as a baseline for comparison in ecotoxicological studies, among other applications. Base...

Solar salinas are man-made systems exploited for the extraction of salt, by solar and wind evaporation of seawater. Salt production achieved by traditional methods is associated with landscapes and environmental and patrimonial values generated throughout history. Since the mid-twentieth century, this activity has been facing a marked decline in Po...

Whereas biochemical and molecular parameters have been well recognised as important “signposts” of individual disturbance to endocrine disrupting chemical’s (EDCs) exposure, behavioural endpoints are yet greatly overlooked as a routine tool in environmental risk assessment of EDCs. However, life histories are intimately associated with numerous int...

A physical, chemical and biological characterisation of river systems is needed to evaluate their ecological quality and establish restoration programs. Aquatic benthic macroinvertebrates have proven to be among the most reliable and cost-effective assessment tools for water and habitat quality in streams throughout the world. During one year of se...

Conditions in artisanal salterns, or salinas, vary depending on their physical structure, seasonal effects, and the two periods of the salt production cycle. They therefore constitute unique wetland habitats, with particular communities that are still poorly studied. Water quality and zooplankton of a working artisanal salina were studied to evalua...

Estuarine shallow areas and coastal lagoons are known to receive and concentrate multiple inputs, either from land, rivers or coastal areas, being intensively impacted by chemical contamination, namely endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Despite the ubiquitous coexistence of several classes of EDCs in most of these aquatic ecosystems, there is s...

The study of the phylogeography of inshore fish from West Europe is revealing diverse geographical and demographical patterns. Some species conform to the phylogeographic patterns typical of terrestrial organisms, with marked signatures of the last glaciation and a decline of genetic diversity to the north of the species range. Other species, howev...

Information on the genital morphology of male and female Lipophrys pholis is provided, as well as for two other sympatric blenniid species, Coryphoblennius galerita and Lipophrys trigloides. The use of non-invasive sex determination procedures described may be extremely useful not only for ecological studies but also as a proxy for the detection of...

The operational sex ratio (OSR) is thought to be a major factor influencing the intensity of mating competition and sexual selection. Even though many studies on species with conventional sex roles have shown that alterations in the OSR can either intensify male–male competition or promote female–female competitive interactions, sometimes resulting...

Exposure of fish to the synthetic estrogen ethinylestradiol (EE2) has been shown to induce a large set of deleterious effects. In addition to the negative impact of EE2 in reproductive endpoints, concern has recently increased on the potential effects of EE2 in fish embryonic development. Therefore, the present study aimed at examining the effects...

Theoretical studies predict that females should invest in current reproduction according to both the expected payoffs from mating with different-quality males and their future mating prospects. The Syngnathidae family, with its male pregnancy together with the occurrence of varying degrees of sex-role reversal, constitutes an exceptional model to s...

A fragment of the mitochondrial control region was used to assess phylogeographic patterns and historical demography of the sand-smelt Atherina presbyter in the North-eastern Atlantic, covering its geographical range. A striking result is the highly marked differentiation between the Canary Islands population and western European ones. A genetic st...

Because of their ubiquity in the aquatic environment, the antifouling agent tributyltin (TBT) and other organotins (OTs) accumulate through the food chain, resulting in the occurrence of OTs in seafood products. Despite a high number of studies on the negative impact of TBT in female prosobranch gastropods, few works exist in Europe reporting the l...

The presence of estrogenic chemicals (ECs) in the aquatic environment is a growing problem. While most attention was initially given to fresh water and estuarine ecosystems, it is now evident that coastal marine areas are also vulnerable to these pollutants. The use of vitellogenin induction in male fish, a specific biomarker of EC exposure, has be...

1. Some syngnathid species show varying degrees of sex role reversal aside from male pregnancy, with females competing for access to mates and sometimes presenting conspicuous secondary sexual characters. Among other variables, brooding space constraints are usually considered a key element in female reproductive success, contributing strongly to t...

The Furnas Lake is a small volcanic, monomitic and increasingly eutrophised water body. Next to agricultural nutrient inputs, high densities of herbivorous fish are thought to contribute to high levels of turbidity in the lake, through zooplankton consumption and re suspension of the nutrients accumulated in the sediment. According to the alternati...

Despite much effort to ascertain the consequences of temperature variation for a wide range of animal performance traits, the effect of temperature on interactions among organisms is still poorly understood. The present work tests for a direct influence of water temperature on sexual recognition, mate preferences and female–female interactions in t...

Some notes on development and early life history behaviour of aquarium-reared Syngnathus acus are presented and compared with other syngnathid species, namely S. abaster. Implications in population dynamics and connectivity are discussed.

The reproductive behaviour of Syngnathus abaster is described and compared with those of other syngnathids. The need for standardized behavioural data is discussed in light of the actual theories of evolution of mating patterns and sex-role reversal within this family.

Imposex in female snails, a bioindicator of TBT contamination, and the presence of organotins in snails' tissue and sediments were studied at nine sites off the western Iberian Peninsula. The study was part of a European project (acronym HIC-TBT) co-financed by the EU-LIFE programme, intending to investigate and communicate the impact of organotins...

Using an individual identification technique, a population of worm pipefish Nerophis lumbriciformis was followed during 19 months, in order to determine the exact use of the intertidal and, considering the specific movement patterns of males and females, the mating system exhibited by this population. Field observations showed that the number of ad...

El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar los efectos e in ter acciones de varios factores sobre la acumulación simultánea de cadmio y mercurio. Se utilizaron dos formas químicas de mercurio (HgCI2 y CH 3HgCl) junto con cadmio inorgánico (como CdCl2, y se investigaron los efectos de la vía de contaminación (directa y trófica). Se expusieron ejemplare...

The breeding season of Nerophis lumbriciformis, a cold water pipefish, was positively correlated with seawater temperatures < 15(.)5 degrees C whilst recruitment occurred at the end of the upwelling season, when seawater temperature attained its maximum values. The observed alterations in seawater temperatures, with steady year-round increases, and...

The evolutionary radiation of the family Syngnathidae was accompanied by a diversification of structures involved in male parental care whose anatomical variations may signal differences in reproductive Strategies, with Increasing egg protection possibly affecting female investment in offspring or larvae quality at the end of the embryonic developm...

Based on the heterogenous nature of Lipophrys pholis diet, the stage of the species&apos; ontogenetic development when major niche shifts occurred was identified, and the causes that force this blennid to change its feeding behaviour, vertical distribution and shelter occupation were considered. The diet analysis of the different size classes consi...

In an attempt to clarify the mechanism(s) of tributyltin-mediated imposex induction in females of the neogastropod Nucella lapillus, dogwhelks collected in an almost imposex free population were exposed to several treatments for a 3 month-period, and the effects on imposex induction and testosterone/estradiol levels were evaluated. As a positive co...

Syngnathids have been the focus of growing interest due to their peculiar reproductive biology and vulnerability to environmental degradation and overcollecting. In this study, near the south limit of the species' geographic distribution, a description of the homing behaviour of the worm pipefish, Nerophis lumbriciformis, based on the unique facial...

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects and interactions of various factors on the simultaneous accumulation of cadmium and mercury contaminants. Two chemical forms of mercury (HgCl2 and CH3HgCl) were used in conjunction with inorganic cadmium (as CdCl2). The effects of direct and trophic modes of accumulation were investigated. Dap...

Imposex in the gastropod Hinia reticulata, a bioindicator for tributyltin (TBT) contamination, was investigated in locations at different distances from the Oporto harbour-dredged material discharge site. The degree of imposex found was inversely related to the distance to the discharge site, the highest imposex frequency being found closest to the...

The use of lysosomal stability in the mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis, as a potential biomarker of environmental contamination has been evaluated along the Portuguese coast. To this end, the neutral red retention (NRR) time was measured in mussel haemocytes gathered from nine different locations reflecting different degrees of anthropogenic conta...

The use of lysosomal stability in the mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis, as a potential biomarker of environmental contamination has been evaluated along the Portuguese coast. To this end, the neutral red retention (NRR) time was measured in mussel haemocytes gathered from nine different locations reflecting different degrees of anthropogenic conta...

The embryonic and larval development of the pipefish Nerophis lumbriciformis is described. The full development sequence lasted 30 d (at 14-15 degreesC), being shortened to 25-26 d at higher temperatures (16-17 degreesC), and hatching occurred throughout a 2-3d period. Unlike species of the genus Syngnathus, the newly hatched larvae presented a fun...