December 2012, Vol 3 Issue 10 waves |waves.ciimar@gmail.com CIIMAR |Rua dos Bragas 289, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal tel: +351 223 401 800 | www.ciimar.up.pt

Project of the month

December 2012

Vol. 3 Issue 10

Waves

All Aboard

Currently Brazil is emerging in the international arena, as an excellent generator of scientific development. Receptor of cooperation programs from multilateral organizations and bilateral agencies, Brazil is implementing ambitious programs and projects that promote international mobility, seeking to attract international scientists to develop research projects in Brazil. Aware of this new context, CIIMAR was invited by EMBRAPA (The Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation), which is one of the largest agricultural research centers in the world, to present some of their projects which focus on various themes in Marine and Environmental Sciences. Climate change, anthropogenic impacts and aquaculture as an activity that will supply the demand for food in the world, were some of the topics discussed in the first cycle of lectures on "Studies of Marine Sciences - Experiences of the Interdisciplinary Center of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR)" held by video conference between Portugal and Brazil from 26 to 29 of November, 2012.

oana Saiote Photos: Joana Rodrigues

PHYTOBIO - Phytoremediation and bioremediation of contaminants in salt marshes: plant – microorganisms interactions

Temperate salt marshes have an important ecological role since they are not only are amongst the most productive ecosystems on Earth, but also are amongst the most sensitive ecosystems, and therefore, the most difficult to clean and recover. The development of strategies to clean these ecosystems is a current priority. Remediation methodologies using plants (phytoremediation) or/and microorganisms (bioremediation) can be a valid option due to their capability to respond to different inorganic and organic contaminants. The aims of this project are to investigate potential plant-microorganisms associations that could, on one hand, improve metal phytoremediation capacities of the plant and, on the other hand, improve bioremediation of organic compounds, namely PAHs, by microorganisms in estuarine salt marshes. Following a characterization of the rhizosphere of salt marsh plants, in terms of contaminants (metals and PAHs) and microbial communities, autochthonous microorganisms (AM) with the capacity to resist chosen contaminants will be selected using enrichment cultures, in order to be used in laboratory experiments. Specific greenhouse experiments are planned to ascertain the influence of microorganisms in the efficiency of plants for the removal of metals, and to understand the contribution of plants to bioremediation of PAHs. This study will be conducted in the River Lima Estuary (NW Portugal), an urban-industrialized estuary with a large salt marsh area, which is also the terminus of an international watershed. Funding by FCT | Project: PTDC/MAR/099140/2008 | Responsible researcher (CIIMAR/EcoBioTec): Ana Paula Mucha

Ana Paula Mucha

This event resulted from the bilateral coordination of two researchers: Rodrigo Ozório (CIIMAR) and Rodrigo Fujimoto (EMBRAPA-Coastal Boards) and was attended by 14 CIIMAR speakers, 30 undergraduate students of Veterinary Medicine (Faculdade Pio X, Brazil) and Fisheries Engineering (Universidade Federal de Sergipe, USP), one Master's student (UFS), one post-doctoral research and six senior researchers (UFS and EMBRAPA). The CIIMAR researchers presented a total of 14 lectures on various topics of environmental, social and economic importance, following the precepts of sustainability. This event marked the beginning of a future partnership between these institutions and has become a landmark in EMBRAPA-Coastal Boards, for being the first course via video conference held in that center. This cycle of lectures also delivered to Brazilian students a more holistic vision of marine and environmental research and aroused the interest for future exchanges between Portugal and Brazil.

Rodrigo Fujimoto (EMBRAPA) & Rodrigo Ozório (CIIMAR)

December 2012, Vol 3 Issue 10 waves |waves.ciimar@gmail.com CIIMAR |Rua dos Bragas 289, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal tel: +351 223 401 800 | www.ciimar.up.pt

Population structure and connectivity of the European conger eel (Conger conger) across the north-eastern Atlantic and western Mediterranean: integrating molecular and otolith elemental approaches

Correia, AT, Ramos, A, Barros, F, Silva, G, Hammer, P, Morais, P, Cunha, RL, Castilho, R. 2012. Marine Biology (2012)

Genetic variation (mtDNA) of the European conger eel, Conger conger,

was compared across five locations in the north-eastern Atlantic

(Madeira, Azores, South Portugal, North Portugal and Ireland) and one

location in the western Mediterranean (Mallorca). Genetic diversity of

conger eel was high, and differentiation among regions was not

significant. Additionally, comparisons of elemental Ca ratios (Sr:Ca,

Ba:Ca, Mn:Ca and Mg:Ca) in otolith cores (larval phase) and edges (3

months prior to capture) among the Azores, North Portugal, Madeira

and Mallorca regions for two years indicated that variation among

regions were greater for edges than cores. Therefore, while benthic

conger may display residency at regional scales, recruitment may not

necessarily be derived from local spawning and larval retention.

Furthermore, data from otoliths suggest a separated replenishment

source for western Mediterranean and NE Atlantic stocks. The

combination of genetics and otolith chemistry suggests a population

model for conger eel involving a broad-scale dispersal of larvae, with

limited connectivity for benthic juvenile life stages at large spatial

scales, although the existence of one or multiple spawning grounds for

the species remains uncertain.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00227-012-1936-3

-40  -20  0 

AZ(92)

IR(54)

PM(55)

Unique Shared

IR

NP

SP

AZ

MA

PM

0 400

km

NP(60)

10 

30 

35 

40 

45 

50 

55 

60 

MA(60)

NAC

SP(26)

MOW

► Two Research grants – Master degree

CIIMAR is now opening one research grant position for a master student at 100% and another one for a master student at 50% within the framework of the project "CertPiscis – Recovery of fish products from the River Minho"

Location: Rio Minho Aquamuseu, Vila Nova de Cerveira Duration: Six months from January, 2013. Application Dates: From 5th to 19th of December, 2012.

► Research grant (BI)

CIIMAR is now opening one research grant position for a licentiate student under the project "Secondary metabolites and nitrogen fixation in benthic marine cyanobacteria: how different their freshwater counterparts?" with the reference FCOMP-01-ERDF-010600-0124.

Location: CIIMAR Duration: Three months from January, 2013. Application Dates: From 6th to 19th of December, 2012.

(IN)Formation BOGA

Paper of the month

Open Positions

in Laboratory Animal Sciences (LAS) (category B). CAL-AQUA, a LAS course mainly focused on the use of aquatic species as laboratory animals, had three editions within a year (December 2011, June and November 2012). The 3rd edition was held between the 19th and 23rd of November and was again a successful event. There was a gap in LAS training for researchers that work with aquatic models and these courses have proven to be an excellent alternative to the common courses mainly focused in mammals (rodents). The course gained national visibility since we had applications from all over the country (Faro, Olhão, Lisboa, Leiria, Coimbra, Aveiro, Porto and Vila Real) and representing several important institutions/universities (including CIIMAR, CCMAR, CESAM, ISPA, IBMC, IMM, UALG, UA, UP, and UTAD). The success of the past three editions of CAL-AQUA will encourage BOGA’s team to keep organizing this kind of training/education, especially because the new Portuguese legislation will be even more demanding with this subject. In this way, LAS training will be crucial for all researchers that will work in BOGA and that is why we are also preparing some basic training in LAS, also with a focus on aquatic species as the main laboratory animals (category A courses).

Together we will have more and better research in BOGA-CIIMAR!!

Hugo Santos

Fig. 1 - Sampling locations (sampling codes) and number of individuals in parenthesis. Inset, darker shaded area: putative natural range in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean of conger eel (C. conger). IR Ireland, NP North Portugal, SP South Portugal, AZ Azores, MA Madeira, PM Mallorca. Currents depicted: NAC North Atlantic surface current, MOW Mediterranean outflow centred near 1,000 m water depth, adapted from Reid 1979 (in Khélifi et al. 2009). Left pies represent the proportion of shared and private haplotypes in each sampling location.

Laboratory Animal Sciences training is mandatory for all researchers that use vertebrate laboratory animal models in their experiments (mammals to fish). Accordingly, to meet this need of researchers, BOGA has been organizing some training courses

December 2012, Vol 3 Issue 10 waves |waves.ciimar@gmail.com CIIMAR |Rua dos Bragas 289, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal tel: +351 223 401 800 | www.ciimar.up.pt

Recepie

30 Minutes of conversation

with a scientist

Open Calls

Waves - CIIMAR Newsletter

Coordinator: J. Saiote

Editors: V. Vasconcelos, L.F.C. Castro, J.M. Wilson and J. Saiote

Contributors: Alberto Correia; Ana Paula Mucha, Hugo Santos; Rodrigo Fujimoto Rodrigo Ozorio;

Susana Moreira

Design: J. Saiote

CIIMAR on Photos

But in 2008, after watching enzymes chomp through plant cells, Trent started thinking about biofuels. And, because he has a background in marine biology, he started thinking about algae and the oceans. www.ted.com/talks/jonathan_trent_energy_from_floating_algae_pods.html

TED TALKS

Jonathan Trent: Energy from floating algae pods

Jonathan Trent works at NASA’s nanotechnology department, where he builds microscopic devices out of proteins from extremophiles -- bacteria that live in the world’s harshest environments. It isn’t the logical place to start a biofuel project.

► BiodivERsA joint call on “Invasive Species and Biological Invasions”

Main scientific themes for the call: T1: Demonstrating and characterising the impacts of biological invaders T2: Understanding mechanisms of biological invasions and levers for mitigating and/or reversing the impacts of biological invaders T3: Evaluating the interactions between biological invasions and other global environmental changes T4: Biological invasions and public perceptions T5: Biological invasions and adaptation Procedures and eligibility: A one-stage application procedure is applied, with a mandatory pre-registration until 14th December. Project consortia should consist of a minimum of three partners from three different countries participating in the call.

www.biodiversa.org/367

► ERA-CAPS joint call on “Expanding the European Research Area in Molecular Plant Sciences” Main scientific themes for the call: The first joint call launched by ERA-CAPS is intended to allow maximum engagement of the plant science community and is therefore broad in scope, covering all areas of molecular plant science. Procedures and eligibility: A one-stage application procedure is applied; Deadline: 15 February 2013. Project consortia should consist of a minimum of three partners from three different countries, at least two of them being a participating ERA-CAPS partner or observer country.

www.eracaps.org/joint-calls/era-caps-calls

► IJUP2012-BUSINESS

Integrated into the “IJUP-Programa de iniciação à investigação da Universidade do Porto”, the IJUP2012-BUSINESS intends to fund R&D projects in collaboration with the following enterprises: UNICER, SOJA DE PORTUGAL, LIPOR, and SOGRAPE. Deadline: 14 December 2012.

www.ijup.up.pt/pluridisciplinares/ Susana Moreira

As part of the Science & Technology Week 2012 and the National Day of Scientific Culture, CIIMAR in partnership with the Centers for Environmental Monitoring and Interpretation of Matosinhos and Vila do Conde, held in the schools of Porto, on November 23, the activity "30 minute conversation with a scientist”. The initiative was attended by 19 schools of the metropolitan area of Porto and involved 954 students from primary to secondary schools.

http://tv.up.pt/videos/bKb95D3z Teacher's Testimonial:

"Awakening to the fascinating world of science" Maria das Dores, Escola Básica Frei João, Vila do Conde

“A great way to make science more accessible to everyone, especially for students who rarely have the opportunity to be with a true

scientist” Isabel Moura, Escola Secundária de Águas Santas

“A unique moment (...) thank you for this opportunity” Carla Cruz, Escola E.B 2,3 de Leça do Balio

“Deus ao mar o perigo e o abismo deu,

Mas nele é que espelhou o céu.” F. Pessoa