Pedro M. Félix

University of Lisbon | UL · MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre

Invasive species can trigger profound effects on recipient ecosystems, namely through the food web. Despite being recognized as one of the worst invasive species, little is known about the feeding ecology of the Mozambique tilapia Oreochromis mossambicus. To understand how this invasive species might impact food webs, we applied metabarcod-ing to a...

The ever-growing demand for sea cucumbers is a threat to these echinoderms and their habitats; however, a way to relieve stock pressure lies in meeting demand through aquaculture. As such, this study aimed to improve the growth and survival percentage of Holothuria arguinensis during larval development, settlement and juvenile growth. Three diets o...

Mangroves act as buffer areas for marine systems, providing a barrier to contamination from continental sources by retaining metal pollutants. This study evaluates metal and semimetal contamination in the water column and sediments of four mangroves located on the volcanic island of São Tomé. Several metals had a widespread distribution, with occas...

The demand for sea cucumbers from the NE-Atlantic is increasing as a consequence of the depletion of stocks that historically supplied Asian markets. Some species from the NE-Atlantic are already showing overfishing signs due to either inefficient policies or their total absence, and they do not offer any margins of sustainability to sea cucumber f...

The sea cucumber Holothuria arguinensis (Koehler and Vaney, 1906) presents an increasing commercial value in Asian markets and its exportation depends exclusively on wild stock harvesting. Production through aquaculture has been acknowledged as an alternative to supply demand and reduce pressure on natural stocks, but there are still bottlenecks to...

Sea cucumbers are indicators of metal contamination in sea bottoms due to their low mobility and feeding behaviour. Comparing contaminations of specimens from different locations, habitats, and/or organs allows understanding of contamination processes and differences. However, the interpretation of these data is affected by the variability of conta...

Filter-feeding mussels blend suspended particles into faeces and pseudo-faeces enhancing organic matter flows between the water column and the bottom, and strengthening benthic-pelagic coupling. Inside operating farms, high bivalve densities in relatively confined areas result in an elevated rate of organic sinking to the seabed, which may cause a...

Estuaries have long been preferred sites of human settlement due to the benefits regarding proximity to fresh water and the ocean. As such, these environments have been subject to increasing anthropogenic pressures, resulting in issues of pollution and contamination. However, since the second half of the 20th century an environmental concern has re...

Since the early 1980's there has been an increase in sea cucumber harvest and trade, mainly due to Asiatic market pressure. In the Indo-Pacific regions, the collapse of various stocks of these echinoderms has already occurred due to overfishing. In Europe, sea cucumber exportation depends exclusively on wild stock harvesting, which has demonstrated...

The elemental composition and bioaccessibility of the wild holothuroids Holothuria arguinensis, Holothuria forskali, and Holothuria mammata was studied. Nutritional and toxicological aspects were evaluated. H. mammata was the richest in Mn, Ni, As, Cd, Pb, and Hg; H. forskali had the highest Cu and I contents, 4.12-4.93 mg/kg dw and 28.02-28.26 mg/...

Estuaries are highly productive ecosystems, which are strongly affected by several anthropogenic pressures. Phytoplankton is a key element for assessing the ecological quality status in these transitional waters. Moreover, understanding physico-chemical and biological drivers is crucial to disentangle their effect on the structure of phytoplankton...

Biological invasions are considered one of the main extinction drivers of native species worldwide. Invasive species have detrimental effects on local ecosystems by means of competition, predation, habitat modification and nutrient cycling, as well as disease spreading. Along with ecological impacts, there are socioeconomic consequences to human po...

Holothuria mammata is one of the most valuable species of sea cucumber, as well as one of the main target species harvested in the Mediterranean and NE-Atlantic regions. This study aims to describe the reproductive cycle of H. mammata in a coastal area of southwest Portugal. Monthly samplings were carried out for 19 months, with the concomitant col...

The Ecosystem Service Framework discloses the ecosystem’s benefits to society and provides support to preserve threatened systems while considering the economic and social dimensions of the communities more dependent on its resources. Mangroves provide important and valuable goods and services to communities, at different spatial and temporal scale...

There is an increasing demand for sea cucumbers, for human consumption, mainly from Asian markets and, as a consequence, NE-Atlantic species are now new targets for exploitation and exportation. Holothuria mammata is one of the most valuable species in Europe. However, the lack of historical economic interest in this species in most European countr...

Holothuria arguinensis, Holothuria mammata and Holothuria forskali are three common sea cucumber species found in the NE Atlantic, traded in international markets and susceptible to capture. Allometric relationships reveal if the scaling relationships between biometric characters are proportional with growth, being a useful tool to understand speci...

The main goal of this study was to investigate the seasonal chemical changes of two sea cucumber species caught from Portugal. The potential contribution to human health of lipids was also evaluated. For this, the chemical composition (protein, ash, and fat) and lipids composition of Holothuria arguinensis and Holothuria forskali was followed in su...

The intensive exploitation of sea cucumbers, mainly exported to Asian seafood markets, has contributed to deplete natural populations of several species. In Europe, the aquaculture production of these echinoderms is minimal, reflecting the low scientific production on the topic. In Portugal, like in Mediterranean countries, there are native species...

Mangroves are some of the most productive coastal systems on the planet and provide valuable ecosystem services (ES). They are especially important in threatened ecosystems and developing countries, where they are likely to have direct impacts on local communities. An approach based on ES allows assessing ecosystems across the domains of ecology, s...

The high demand of sea cucumbers in international markets, mostly based in Asia, has left a deep impact on the natural stock of many species, leading to an investment in aquaculture techniques in order to mitigate these impacts. This study aimed to determine the effects of stock density in rearing broodstock of Holothuria (Panningoturia) forskali D...

One of the actions that has been implemented to support the recovery of the panmictic population of European eel is stocking of waterbodies where natural recruitment is low or null. However, growth conditions of the stocked eels can vary greatly. This circumstance emphasises the importance to determine ideal habitat conditions to contribute to the...

Sea cucumbers fisheries becoming commercially exploited due to the increasing demand in Asian markets. The resulting unregulated exploitation has led to the collapse of several natural stocks. In this context, aquaculture represents an alternative to meet the demand, reducing pressure on wild stocks and at the same time allowing the restocking of l...

In an attempt to assist the recovery of the panmictic population of the European eel, declining since the late 1980s, the restocking of areas with low or no natural recruitment has been one of the measures adopted to reverse this trend. However, the main focus in several monitoring programmes for these actions, has been in the best interest of its...

The majority of harvested sea cucumbers are exported to Asian seafood markets, primarily as a dried product called beche-de-mer. The intensive exploitation of this resource has contributed to deplete natural populations of several species (Meloni and Esposito, 2018; Purcell et al., 2018). Aquaculture production of sea cucumbers has expanded rapidly...

Sea cucumbers have keystone ecological functions in marine ecosystems, as nutrient recycling agents and helping buffer local ocean acidification. Strong demand for these echinoderms led to the overexploitation of natural stocks. Therefore, sea cucumber harvesting is expanding to different areas, where new species are being targeted. Establishing su...

Mangroves are highly productive ecosystems and support coastal fisheries, serving as spawning, nursery and feeding grounds for fish species. Functional diversity is calculated by grouping species according to their functional traits. A higher number of functional groups promotes functional diversity, boosting ecosystem functioning and stability. Th...

During 2008, the Zostera noltii meadows located in the lower Mira estuary (SW Portugal) disappeared completely. However, during 2009, symptoms of natural recovery were observed, and in 2015 totally mature patches were detected. This allowed to investigate the temporal and spatial distribution patterns of the composition and structure of ichthyofaun...

Abstract: Sea cucumbers have been consumed for centuries mainly in Asia. These organisms are seen as traditional and medicinal foods and over the last decades the demand for these high-value seafood products has placed severe pressure on sea cucumber fisheries. With an increasing price trend, the increasing international trade has been failing to m...

Holothuria tubulosa (Gmelin, 1788) is a marine invertebrate, belonging to the group Echinodermata. This species presents separated sexes without sexual dimorphism. H. tubulosa has been seen as a new candidate for aquaculture, as this species is resistant to handling and adapts easily to captivity conditions. The increasing demand for sea cucumber s...

The sea cucumber is an Echinoderm with high economic interest. Due to increasing demand, the heavy pressure imposed on this group is so such that its natural stock is dwindling worldwide. A steep decrease in abundance of wild sea cucumbers has been observed, which together with the rising interest in consumption from the general public has lead to...

Sea cucumbers (Class Holothuroidea) are echinoderms with an extremely important ecological role. They dwell on the benthic zone being either deposit or suspension feeders, feeding on tiny particles like algae, small aquatic animals, or organic matter. The holothurians reduce the organic load of the ecosystems while excreting inorganic nitrogen and...

The high demand for sea cucumbers in eastern markets, either as a protein source for human consumption or for medicinal purposes, placed an excessive pressure on natural stocks. Sea cucumber aquaculture, set as a valuable alternative for producers and highly developed in Southeast Asia, still falls short on supply. As a consequence, exploitation of...

Sea cucumbers are a high value seafood product in Southeast Asia. The strong demand for these echinoderms, has led to an increasing exploitation of natural stocks, resulting in the downfall of this resource in the Indo-Pacific region. As a consequence of a population depletion of several species, fishing areas are expanding to the Mediterranean and...

Holothuria tubulosa (Gmelin, 1788) is a marine invertebrate, belonging to the group Echinodermata, usually known as sea cucumber. Its geographical distribution extends from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and it is frequently associated to sandy and rocky areas, as well as sea meadows. Generally, they occur at depths less than 100 m. Th...

Transport of sea cucumber specimens is a sensitive task that should be handled with care to avoid stress and any degradation of physiological conditions. This study aimed at evaluating the impact of transport and acclimation on individuals of Holothuria forskali. Seventy individuals were captured in the coastal area adjacent to the Sado estuary dur...

Functional diversity plays a major role in the maintenance of ecosystem functioning and stability. To estimate functional diversity, species are grouped into functional groups according to different functional traits. The more functional groups there are, the higher the functional diversity, the healthier the ecosystem is. Despite the relevance of...

Mangroves are one of the most productive systems fixing large amounts of atmospheric CO2 evidencing their role in climate regulation (Brito et al., 2017, Chand Basha, 2018, Gilman et al., 2008). Mangroves also support large scale fisheries acting as spawning, nursery and feeding grounds for a large number of fish species (Félix et al., 2017). Funct...

Os ecossistemas fornecem diferentes tipos de bens e serviços, que permitem determinar o seu valor para a Sociedade. Esta determinação é essencial para definir prioridades de conservação e gestão. Os mangais são pouco estudados nesta perspetiva, embora sejam já reconhecidos alguns dos seus bens e serviços. Estes sistemas são relevantes do ponto de v...

O funcionamento e a estabilidade dos ecossistemas são assegurados pela diversidade funcional das espécies. Por sua parte esta diversidade é assegurada pela redundância funcional, e quanto maior o número de espécies com a mesma função num sistema maior a resiliência do sistema. Os mangais são ecossistemas costeiros que desempenham importantes funçõe...

Mangroves are recognised as important nursery and feeding areas for resident and inshore fish species. However, the importance of West African mangroves to the life cycle of fish communities remains poorly studied. The present study is the first record of fish species in tropical insular mangroves for this region and its aim was to assess habitat u...

Over the years, the Mondego estuary has undergone various anthropogenic impacts. One of the most serious was the closing of the communication between the two arms of the system (north and south), in the 1990s, which promoted eutrophication and a consequent water quality decline in the south arm. Several mitigation measures were subsequently impleme...

Mangroves are tropical estuarine forests, well-known for providing key ecosystem services. We conducted the first survey of mangroves in island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe, focusing on the biodiversity, ecosystem services and threats in two areas of São Tomé Island's Obô Natural Park. Praia das Conchas' land vertebrate assemblage was typical of...

Toxinology, or the study of venoms and toxins, is a fascinating research area with different compounds being identified in unexpected high numbers of venomous species. The research potential is wide, going from drug development to the evolution of venom biological and pathophysiological properties. However, marine animals and fish, in particular, r...

In occupational settings, exposure to metal dusts and fumes mainly occurs as a result of inhalation. At present, there is no direct biological indicator to assess exposure by inhalation, which is by far the major route for entrance of airborne pollutants into the body. Assessing inhaled hazardous substances noninvasively is the prospect held out by...

Batrachoidids, which include midshipman and toadfish are less known among embryologists, but are common in other fields. They are characteristic for their acoustic communication, and develop hearing and sound production while young juveniles. They lay large benthic eggs (>5mm) with a thick chorion and adhesive disk and slow development, which are p...

The Lusitanian toadfish, Halobatrachus didactylus , like other batrachoidids, is a benthic fish species with nesting behaviour during the breeding season. During this prolonged period it engages in mating activities and remains in the nest providing parental care. It is not known whether males feed while providing parental care but it is likely tha...

Landlocked lagoons are naturally stressed environments. They are strongly influenced by freshwater input which not only varies naturally, but which is also impacted by anthropogenic activities. This study investigated the direct influence of freshwater discharges on the distribution patterns and abundance of benthic communities in two neighbouring...

The European Waterframework Directive requires the assessment of ecological status of all water bodies, including rivers, estuaries, coastal areas, emphasizing that the status of surface aquatic ecosystems might depend on groundwater status. The assessment of the ecological status of coastal lagoons dependent on groundwater is particularly complex...

The study of groundwater dependent ecosystems opened the opportunity to involve specialists of different areas of knowledge in order to obtain answers for complex interrelations between groundwater and the associated ecosystems. The actual study, carried out in two coastal lagoons of the Portuguese SW coast, showed the high dependency of the marine...

Occupational exposure to lead (Pb) requires continuous surveillance to assure, as much as possible, safe and healthful working conditions. This study addresses the suitability of assessing Pb exposure in relevant workers using their exhaled breath condensate (EBC). This study enrolled workers of two different Pb processing industries characterized...

This study aims to ascertain the structure of benthic macroinvertebrate communities of Santo André and Melides River Basins and understand how these communities are affected by different environmental variables. These are small river basins with a Mediterranean climate. The majority of the watercourses of these basins is temporary and dependent on...

O principal instrumento da política da União Europeia relativa à água, a Directiva Quadro da Água tem como principal objectivo atingir o “bom” estado ecológico das massas de água, dando grande importância aos componentes biológicos dos ecossistemas. No âmbito desta directiva, o Índice Português de Invertebrados do Sul, que avalia a qualidade ecológ...

Acute and chronic exposures to Airborne Particulate Matter (APM) have been linked, in epidemiological studies, to increased mortality and to a wide spectrum of respiratory and cardiovascular disorders. One factor that highly influences the toxicity of APM is its chemical composition. Nuclear Analytical Techniques (NATs) can be advantageously used i...

With the publication of the Water Framework Directive in 2000, Portugal and all other Member States of the European Community, assumed the commitment to achieve a good ecological status of all water bodies by the year of 2015. The accomplishment of this major objective requires the assessment of the current status of all water bodies. Benthic macro...

ABSTRACT In occupational assessments where workers are exposed to metal dust, the liquid condensate of exhaled breath (EBC) may provide unique indication of pulmonary exposure. The main goal of this study was to demonstrate the quality of EBC to biological monitoring of human exposure. A pilot study was performed in a group of metal dust-exposed wo...

The characteristic high variability and low predictability of coastal lagoons, due to strong changes in marine and freshwater inputs, make these ecosystems an interesting case study. The small Melides landlocked coastal lagoon in SW Portugal is a paradigmatic example, with a biological community highly stressed by these phenomena. Benthic macroinve...

In occupational assessments where workers are exposed to metal dust, the liquid condensate of exhaled breath (EBC) may provide unique indication of pulmonary exposure. The main goal of this study was to demonstrate the quality of EBC to biological monitoring of human exposure. A pilot study was performed in a group of metal dust-exposed workers and...

Land-locked coastal lagoons are naturally stressed environments that consequently constrain biological communities that colonize these systems, through direct or indirect influence. This study investigated the influence of groundwater outflows and catchment runoff on the fish community of Melides and Santo André, two land-locked coastal lagoons in...

The aim of the present work was to investigate variations in the structure of fish communities of Melides and Santo André lagoons related with the presence of groundwater-dependent permanent streams and runoff-dependent intermittent streams.

The study of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) obtained by cooling exhaled air under conditions of spontaneous breathing is considered one of the areas with higher interest in respiratory health research. The use of EBC for elemental determination in occupational exposure requires a standard methodological procedure to implement its practice in occup...

Occupational exposure to metals can result in a large variety of implications for human health. Industrial units, such as smelters, welding sites, or the plastic or battery industry present a potential hazardous exposure to their workers. At these industrial working places, especially the airborne particulates and its elemental composition, are kno...

Assessing the retention of aerosol particles in the human lung, one of the most important pathways of absorption, is a demanding issue. At present, there is no direct biomarker of exposure for the respiratory system. The collection of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) constitutes a new non-invasive method for sampling from the lung. However, the hete...

Flatfishes are poorly represented in published literature regarding life-history strategies, as opposed to some other taxonomic groups of teleost fish. The present work constitutes an integrated approach to life-history traits of the Order Pleuronectiformes occurring in the Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. Data was exhaustively collected f...

Foundry industry has important environmental and occupational health impacts. More information is needed to properly assess occupational health risks presented by this industrial sector. This works aims at (1) characterizing the workers exposure to particulate matter in the foundry industry using k0-Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (k0-INAA...

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether Exhaled Breath Condensate (EBC) can be employed for a better risk assessment among human exposure to heavy metals. The objective was to develop a human bioindicator to be applicable for professional exposure that, compared with other common indicators, presents important advantages: it is non-...