November/December 2015
Waves
CIIMAR´s Newsletter
vol. 5 Issue 5
All Aboard
New CIIMAR board
CIIMAR is starting a new cycle with a refreshed board and facing a challenging future. One year
ago we got an unfair rating by FCT that does not match our competence and quality and that
was translated in a very restrictive budget. Nevertheless, in the past three years we increased
and diversified our members list, kept our publications increasing not just in total number but
also per capita and their Impact Factor, and sustained our contribution in supervising MSc and
PhD thesis.
In spite of the negative impact of the FCT score, we have been very active in getting
complementary resources. In 2015 we got approved 30 projects, most starting in 2016: 4
Horizon 2020, 8 EEA grants, 1 JPI Oceans, 1 INTERREG Baltic, and 16 FCT, with a total of around 3
million Euros. In addition we got 22 FCT scholarships: 9 PhD and 13 Post Doc and 3 new IF
contracts. We managed to submit two patents, few others are in preparation, and the number
of papers estimated will top up those of 2014. The new PhD program on Marine Biotechnology
and Aquaculture was approved by A3ES and the SANFEED program was funded by FCT and
started to receive new students.
The new CIIMAR headquarters building at Leixões Harbour is almost ready to host us and will be without any doubt a quality stamp that will attract
more attention to CIIMAR and to UP. By moving to this new building and location, we will get excellent conditions to continue our mission, and we will
be able to interact more directly with many stakeholders such as APDL, IPMA, DOCAPESCA, Fish and Seafood restaurants, fish canning industry among
others. This will create the perfect environment for new exciting collaborations that will lead to technology transfer. Regional, national and European
funds are available for co-promotion activities with industry that we should not miss.
It is in this context that we want to continue to have the support and collaboration of all CIIMAR members, being sure that together we will overcome
any difficulties.
Photo: New CIIMAR building. TVU.Universidade do Porto
Vitor Vasconcelos
CIIMAR Sea Literacy Projects
CIIMAR have three new Sea Literacy projects financed by the EEA Grants program 2nd Call.
“Cadeias Tróficas Marinhas – Conhecer para Comunicar”, “Mar de Plástico” and “OceanLab – Protegendo os Oceanos: vem ao laboratório fazer
connosco!” are the new science communication projects of CIIMAR.
These projects seek to raise public awareness to maintain or achieve the Good Environmental Status in marine and coastal waters in Europe,
according to the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), as well as promoting Ocean Literacy through awareness campaigns to the general
public with particular incidence on young people.
"Cadeias Tróficas Marinhas” aims to inform and alert young people for the importance of marine trophic chains for the sustainability of the ocean,
as well as providing tools for autonomous learning and the development of critical thinking.
The project "Mar de Plástico" intends to alert and raise awareness among scholar public about ocean plastic and microplastic pollution and
encourage critical reflection on the possible contributions of society. Besides different experimental science and beach cleaning activities, the
project proposes the innovative exploration of art as a society approaching tool for environmental issues, through the collaboration with the Arts
School of Porto (ESAP) for the production of several large sculptures built from recycled plastic and a theatre play on the topic.
“OceanLab” project involves the installation of a marine laboratory to receive young people, teachers and families at CIIMAR’s new facilities,
providing them on a holistic approach to Ocean Literacy.
Projects Coordinators:
José Teixeira (Mar de Plástico), Joana Saiote (Cadeias Tróficas Marinhas) and Laura Guimarães & Marisa Almeida (OceanLab)
Waves November_December 2015, Vol 5 Issue 5 | [email protected]
CIIMAR | Rua dos Bragas 289, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal tel: +351 223 401 800 | www.ciimar.up.pt
(IN)Formation BOGA
Paper of the month
Of the estimated 80.500 species of vertebrates on the planet,
approximately half of them are fish (about 40.000 species). Usually, fish
are regarded as unintelligent creatures, however new research
suggests that fish could have higher cognitive abilities than previously
believed. So let us tell you some funny and weird facts of our slippery
friends...
Our little goldfish friends cannot close their eyes as they have no
eyelids, however they can see infrared radiation that is invisible to us.
In 2014, a 10 year-old goldfish had a surgery procedure to remove a
tumor accompanied by classical music... because goldfish can
distinguish the music of one composer from another.
It is known that many fish species can change sex during their lifes,
but... did you know that a research work found that about a third of
male fish in British rivers are changing sex due to pollution, especially
due to compounds from contraceptive pills?
Did you know that fish in polluted lakes, especially with heavy metals,
lose their sense of smell? This is particularly alarming as fish use their
sense of smell to find mates and food, and to avoid getting eaten.
We will finish highlighting one more marvel of evolution: the most
romantic species... or the phenomenon of sexual parasitism in
anglerfish. Because in their habitat the population density is very low,
when a male finds a female he will bite onto his lady friend and then
fuse his face to her body. He lives the rest of his days like this, releasing
sperm when she releases eggs. We challenge you to find the male on
the image!
The phantom anglerfish, Haplophryne mollis, female with
male attached. Photo: Theodore W. Pietsch
Together we will have more and better research in BOGA-CIIMAR!!
Hugo Santos & Olga Martínez
Events
► Exhibition | “Mar sem fim: A derradeira Aventura da Exploração
Oceânica"| CMIA Matosinhos, free entrance
► Exhibition | “Faz da mudança a tua praia"| CMIA de Vila do Conde,
free entrance
► 16 – 19 of November Activity | Fórum do Mar | Exponor
► 28 of November Activity | Open Day at CIIMAR | 10.00 – 18.00
► 30 of November to 12 of December Course | Statistics and
programming with R for Biological Sciences | CIIMAR
Kelp forest | Photo: João Franco
Herbivory drives kelp recruits into ‘hiding’ under warm
ocean climate
João N. Franco, Thomas Wernberg, Iacopo Bertocci, Pedro Duarte,
David Jacinto, Nuno Vasco-Rodrigues, Fernando Tuya L. Marine
Ecology Progress Series Volume 536, Pg 1.
DOI: 10.3354/meps11445
Assessing effects of herbivory across broad gradients of varying
ocean climate conditions and over small spatial scales is crucial for
understanding its influence on primary producers. Effects of
herbivory on the distribution and abundance of kelp recruits were
examined experimentally at two regions under contrasting ocean
climate. Specifically, the abundance and survivorship of kelp
recruits and the abundance of macro-herbivores were compared
between a ‘cool’ and a ‘warm’ region in northern and central
Portugal, respectively. In each region, the abundance of kelp
recruits and the intensity of grazing were compared between
habitats of different topography within reefs (‘open reef’ vs.
‘crevices’). Compared to the warm region, the abundance of kelp
recruits was 3.9 times greater in the cool region, where 85% of
recruits were found in ‘open reef’ habitats. In contrast, 87% of
recruits in the ‘warm’ region were restricted to ‘crevices’. The
‘warm’ region had 140 times greater abundances of sea-urchins, 45
times more herbivorous fish and 4.1 times more grazing marks on
kelp recruits than the ‘cool’ region. Grazing assays showed ca. 50
times higher rates of kelp biomass consumption, mainly by fishes,
and zero survivorship of kelp recruits in the ‘warm’ relative to the
‘cool’ region. This study suggests both temperature and herbivores
affect abundances of kelp recruits across latitudes, and it
demonstrates how herbivores affect their distribution at local
scales, driving kelp recruits into ‘hiding’ in crevices under intense
herbivory. Consequently, where net recruitment success is
compromised by herbivory, the persistence of kelps will be
contingent on availability of topographical refuges.
► 18 of December Activity | CIIMAR Christmas lunch
► 18 of December Workshop | Aquaculture Research Workshop |
FCUP, 10.00 – 18.00
“Deus ao mar o perigo e o abismo deu,
Mas nele é que espelhou o céu.”
F. Pessoa
Waves November_December 2015, Vol 5 Issue 5 | [email protected]
CIIMAR | Rua dos Bragas 289, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal tel: +351 223 401 800 | www.ciimar.up.pt
Science & Technology Week
2015
Open Positions
30 minutes of conversation with a scientist & Open Day
► Research grant
As part of the Science &
Technology Week 2015 and the
National Day of Scientific Culture,
CIIMAR in partnership with the
Centers
for
Environmental
Monitoring and Interpretation of
Matosinhos and Vila do Conde
hold on November 27 the activity
CIIMAR is now opening one research grants positions within the
framework of CMIA de Matosinhos.
Location: CMIA de Matosinhos & CIIMAR
Duration: 6 months
Application Dates: 11 - 24 of December, 2015
http://www.ciimar.up.pt/openpositions.php
"30 minutes of conversation with a scientist".
On this initiative 11 researchers went to 12 schools in Porto
Metropolitan Area to have informal conversations with students
(655 in total) to arouse their interest in understanding the role of
science and technology in our society; stimulate the critical
thinking, and promote a comprehensive overview of the scientific
research developed in a research center.
Open Calls
CIIMAR also organized on November 28 an Open Day for the
general public with experimental activities, informal lectures and
visits do the labs.
We thank all CIIMAR researchers and members that volunteer to
celebrate this week.
► FUNDING OPPORTUNITY – TRANSNATIONAL COOPERATION
ERA-NET in Marine Biotechnology – 2nd Call
Participating Countries
IWT (Flanders, Belgium), FWO (Flanders, Belgium), BMBF (Germany),
RANNIS (Iceland), MIPAFF, (Italy), MI (Ireland), RCN (Norway), IN
(Norway), FCT (Portugal), MIZS (Slovenia) and FORMAS (Sweden), VGR
(Sweden)
OCEANUS
Deadline: 16th March 2016, 15:00 CET
Call documents: http://www.marinebiotech.eu/second-transnational-call
Consult FCT for national funding regulation:
http://www.fct.pt/apoios/cooptrans/eranets/era-mbt/index.phtml.en
Vitor Vasconcelos, President of CIIMAR Board and professor at
the Faculty of Sciences of the U. Porto is the new president of
OCEANUS - Marine Research & Innovation since November 13,
2015.
OCEANUS aims to promote scientific research, innovation,
training and dissemination of Marine Sciences and Technologies,
through the development of synergies between different
research and teaching groups of the U .Porto and its interface
centers, as CIIMAR, INESC-TEC, and INEGI.
► FUNDING OPPORTUNITY – TRANSNATIONAL COOPERATION
Industrial Biotechnology ERA-NET – 7th Call
Participating Countries
IWT (Flanders, Belgium), BMBF (Germany), KTI (Switzerland) AKA
(Finland), RCN (Norway), NCBR (Poland), FCT (Portugal), MINECO
(Spain), LAS (Latvia), UEFISCDI (Romenia), FASIE (Russia) and TUBITAK
(Turkey)
Deadline: 1st February 2016, 13:00 CET
Call documents: http://www.era-ib.net/7th-call-documents
Consult FCT for national funding regulation:
http://www.fct.pt/apoios/cooptrans/eranets/era-ib-2/index.phtml.en
Waves - CIIMAR Newsletter
OCEANUS’ new President Ceremony at University of Porto Rectory
Photo: J. Teixeira
Coordinator: J. Saiote
Editors: J. Saiote and J. Teixeira
Contributors: Hugo Santos, Laura Guimarães, Marisa
Almeida, Olga Martínez, Susana Moreira, Vitor
Vasconcelos
Design: J. Saiote
Waves November_December 2015, Vol 5 Issue 5 | [email protected]
CIIMAR | Rua dos Bragas 289, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal tel: +351 223 401 800 | www.ciimar.up.pt