Project Achievements
A place to share the results of the research carried out by members of our Interdisciplinary Scientific Project team and our partners.
Citizen Science Project:
Partnership with Ocean Alive in the Water Sentinels Project
Cable removed from the bottom of the Sado River to save the seagrass meadow - Statements by Romeu Ribeiro, IPS Research Fellow (GI4SADO project), who joined this Ocean Alive mission.
Papers
Gandra, V., Salgado, R., Ribeiro, R.S. et al. Development of a water quality index as a management tool to Sado coastal estuarine areas. J Coast Conserv 27, 20 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11852-023-00946-y
This work was developed within the scope of creating an integrated management model to the Sado estuary (Portugal) that will provide decision-makers and citizens a tool, regarding water quality, that will be easy to interpret and use, allowing to determine high, medium and low zones of anthropogenic pressures on Sado estuary identified by colors, blue (excellent), green, yellow, orange and red (very bad). To fulfil this objective, an estuarine water quality index (EWQI) was created and applied to the Sado estuary by establishing a criteria-basis for the water quality index. A total of 27 samples were collected in 9 different points of the estuary, and 16 parameters were measured. To define the EWQI, the relevance of the parameters were analyzed and combined with indicators in previous literature, noting that proposed WQI for saline waters are rather scarce, literature is mainly focused in evaluating freshwater systems. A new EWQI index for saline and transition waters is now proposed based on 7 parameters: Dissolved Oxygen, Biochemical Oxygen Demand BOD, Nitrite + Nitrate, Phosphate, Total Suspended Solids, Chlorophyll-a and Ammoniacal Nitrogen; with respectively weighs of 0.20, 0.15, 0.15, 0.15, 0.10, 0,10, 0.15. The application of EWQI to Sado estuary data allowed to observe similar water quality patterns, amongst zones with same coastal activities, like industrial areas, and identify seasonal variability, with winter clearly showing a better water quality. This new tool are the basis to the development of an integrated management model for the Sado estuary.
Ribeiro, R.S., Mata, A.M.T., Salgado, R. et al. Undetected non-indigenous species in the Sado estuary (Portugal), a coastal system under the pressure of multiple vectors of introduction. J Coast Conserv 27, 53 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11852-023-00979-3
Research effort concerning biological invasions has increased significantly but the pressure of multiple vectors of introduction (MVI) on coastal areas is still poorly understood. The aim of this work is to provide a comprehensive list of non-indigenous species (NIS) occurring in the Sado estuary, identify and prioritize MVI to deliver recommendations for bioinvasions management. Fouling communities were sampled in five artificial systems during 2021 and 2022. Additionally, a thorough literature review was performed to provide a comprehensive NIS database for the Sado estuary. Native distribution of NIS was classified based on biogeographic realms and the most likely pathways and vectors of introduction were assigned to each introduction. A total of 52 NIS were catalogued, predominantly arthropods, 22% of which were reported until 2005, while 40% were recorded in the last 2 years. We also reported four new NIS to Portugal. Most NIS were native from the Temperate Northern Pacific and the Temperate Northern Atlantic. Shipping related vectors were dominant (61%). Aquaculture was not directly linked to many invasions (8%), however contaminants on animals was the second most significant vector (23%). Our results highlight the need for managing MVI in locations that may act as invasion hotspots. Additionally, it provides support for future policy and management measures by identifying areas that are vulnerable to biological invasions. The introduction of NIS is an important driver of changes on biodiversity, and it should be included as a key element for the creation of an integrated management tool for the Sado estuary.
Reports
Prigent, M. 2021. Identification of industrial pollutant sources to Sado estuary : water quality analysis of mapped locations in the Sado estuary. Internship report in Environmental and Marine Technologies, Higher School of Technology of Setúbal, Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal.
The aim of this study is to collect, map and analyse the water quality of estuarine samples to help the local authorities to solve this problem and act. This report presents two important missions which are on one hand, the optimisation of gas chromatography for the detection and quantification of BTEX compounds (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylene) and on the other hand, the quality evaluation of estuarine samples. For the optimisation of gas chromatography, after the calibration of the automat for the analyse of BTEX compounds, several tests were made to find the best way to do the extraction of the compounds before the analyses. A protocol was proposed but it is not totally good for all concentrations, mostly for low concentrations (<1 mg/L). Further tests are required to optimise the GC for these compounds in water samples. Concerning the quality evaluation of estuarine samples, different measures were made on estuarine water samples : pH, salinity, conductivity, nutrients (phosphate, nitrate, and ammonia) and Total Suspended Solids and Organic Suspended Matter. With the results of Dissolved Organic Matter, water quality can be demonstrated, and polluted area highlighted.
Rollet, L. 2021. Environment impact assessment of diffuse pollution sources from agriculture to estuarine waters. Degree internship in Environmental and Marine Technologies, Higher School of Technology of Setúbal, Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal.
This research was focused on studying the occurrence and fate of pesticides/herbicides used in the rice culture by collectiong samples and analysing NH4, NO3, penoxsulam, atrazine, propanil and cyhalofop butyl, located in the Sado estuary next to aquaculture areas. The aim is to determine if herbicides are absorbed in sufficient quantities by the plants and sediments of the ecosystem, or if they end up in the outflowing water, thus affecting the aquaculture and the marine ecosystem of the Sado estuary. By HPLC analysis and nutrients experiments, different samples from different locations were studied. The selected pesticides were detected in certain areas of estuary. Absorption tests reveal the real capacity of the soil and plants to absorb pesticides, but also show that this capacity is not always sufficient, since a significant quantity of these phytosanitary products is found in certain estuarine waters afterwards
Tavares, S. 2021. Variações espaciais e temporais das espécies não indígenas de substrato rochoso no estuário do Sado. Internship report in Environmental and Marine Technologies, Higher School of Technology of Setúbal, Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal.
O vetor responsável pela maioria das introduções é a navegação, daí asuscetibilidade das portos e marinas de recreio e a importância de estudar esta com maiordetalhe esta problemática. Este estudo teve como objetivo a identificação das ENI deinvertebrados marinhos presentes em habitats artificiais no Estuário do Sado, maisconcretamente no Porto de Pesca de Setúbal e na Doca de Recreio Fontainhas através deamostragens qualitativas e quantitativas permitindo assim uma análise espacial, outroobjetivo foi a análise temporal de ENI no Porto de Pesca de Setúbal averiguando apossível influência da sazonalidade. É de salientar o registo de 9 ENI em ambos os locaisde amostragem. É também importante destacar a clara influência dasazonalidade verificada no Porto de Pesca de Setúbal, tendo sido encontrados muito maistaxa na Primavera que no Inverno. Os dados obtidos neste estudo reforçam a importânciada monitorização destes locais de modo a ser possível uma deteção primária dasintroduções. Atualmente não existem muitos estudos em marinas acerca desta temática,reforçando também a importância da continuação deste trabalho, enriquecendo aindamais a base de dados para o Estuário do Sado, permitindo a adoção da medidas indicadas.
Gomes, P. A. 2021. Espécies não indígenas no porto de pesca de Setúbal. Internship report in Environmental and Marine Technologies, Higher School of Technology of Setúbal, Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal.
Non-indigenous-species (NIS) have been shown to be harmful to biodiversity.NIS, have been transported over time by vessels and their dispersion around theworld has been increasing. Since navigation is associated with recreational marinas,it is necessary to study this theme. This work surveyed non-indigenous that are foundin the Sado Estuary on artificial substrates, specifically in fishing dock in Setúbal.This survey was done through two types of sampling (qualitative and quantitative) toassess: which non-indigenous species (NIS) of fouling invertebrates exist in the Sado estuary and which is the preferred substrate of NIS in fishing dock in Setúbal.In this work it is important to highlight some results obtained, such as the registration of 5 new NIS in the total of 9 NIS registered in the sum of the two types of sampling(quantitative and qualitative). Furthermore, the preferred substrate for the establishment of NIS was the buoy. These results being the first to be obtained inartificial structures in marinas of the Sado estuary, it is important to continue thestudy of this theme. This study provides for the first time the characterization of NISin artificial substrates in Sado estuary, allowing enrichment of ENI databases in the Sado estuary.
Procedings
Cidade, T., R. Ribeiro, G. Silva, S. Cabral, I. Cardoso, I. Afonso, P. Sousa, C. Santos, T. Goulding, F. Carvalho, M.A. Dionísio, J.P. Medeiros, C. Bartilotti, M.T. Guerra, J.L. Costa, P. Chainho. 2021. Tracing back the invasion: Assessing the distribution and introduction pathways of marine and brackish non-indigenous mollusks introduced in the Portuguese coastal areas. Portuguese Congress of Malacology, 9th and 10th of September, Porto, Portugal (oral presentation, award for the best stundent presentation).
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Provide a national checklist of non-indigenous molluscs introduced in Portugal mainland areas;
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Identify spatial and temporal trends of introduction of NIS in coastal and transitional waters;
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Determine the native origins and potential vectors of introduction of such species;
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Examine if there are invasive NIS with known impacts.
Presentations
