LATEST NEWS
4-12-2023
Training Course: Publication of Biodiversity Data through GBIF
Between 4th to 6th of December of 2023, PhD student Ana Sofia Soares (CIIMAR/FCUP) participated in the curse “Curso de formação: Publicação de dados de biodiversidade através do GBIF”, that took place at the Natural history museum of University of Porto in Porto, Portugal. The aim of the event was to provide training on the methodologies and tools for the organization, preparation, and publication of biodiversity data through the online platform GBIF.
On 13th September 2023, researchers Daniel Despujols from CIIMAR and Inês Ramos from ICBAS presented their work at the “Blue Think Conference 2023” held in Matosinhos, Portugal. Daniel Despujols delivered an oral presentation titled “Exploring Biodiversity: Marine Sponges and Corals as Bycatch in Portugal’s Artisanal Fisheries,” focusing on showcasing new records of cold-water corals obtained as fisheries bycatch from Northern Portugal, utilizing a DNA barcoding approach. On the other hand, Inês Ramos presented a flash poster titled “Diversity and distribution of scleractinian corals (Cnidaria) in mainland Portugal’s EEZ: an assembly from data portals.” The conference provided a platform to highlight significant findings and insights of the project DEEPbaseline.
3-06-2023
Cold-water corals in aquaria: maintenance and experimentation
Between 3rd to 4th of June of 2023, researcher Daniel Despujols (CIIMAR) participated in the “Cold-water corals in aquaria: maintenance and experimentation”, a workshop that took place at the John McIntyre Conference Centre – Pollock Halls Estate in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, organized by the DEEPbaseline member Marina Carreiro-Silva (Okeanus UAç) and Maria Rakka, within the scope of the iAtlantic and the Marine Animal Forest of the World (MAF-WORLD) COST Action. The aim of the event was to provide practical guidance on the maintenance of cold-water corals (CWC) in aquaria, offering an overview of the different aquaria systems, collection methods, feeding and daily care.
29-05-2023
ISDSC8 Conference: 8th International Symposium on Deep-Sea Corals
Between 29th May to 2nd of June of 2023, researcher Daniel Despujols (CIIMAR), presented his work developed in the DEEPbaseline project in a poster presentation at the ISDSC8 conference held in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. His presentation focused on showcasing new records of cold-water corals (CWC) obtained as fisheries bycatch from Northern Portugal, utilizing a DNA barcoding approach.
11-03-2023
Jornadas do Mar
The DEEPbaseline team held a workshop on the 11th of March in scope of “Jornadas do Mar IV”, which took place at the Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences of the University of Porto (ICBAS-UP). In this workshop, the project was presented and the way in which we study deep-sea species and habitats was shared, with practical activities of local ecological knowledge assembly and taxonomy of sponges and corals. The participants, 26 undergraduate students from several Portuguese universities, shared their ecological knowledge about coastal and marine species in Portugal, and examined some species of corals and sponges that are indicators of vulnerable marine ecosystems. It was a well spent afternoon!
Between 15 to 17 of October 2022, the DEEPbaseline members Daniel Despujols (CIIMAR) and Marina Carreiro-Silva (Okeanos-UAç) participated in the “Cold-water coral taxonomy training school”, a workshop that took place at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) in Florianópolis Brazil, organized by Alberto Lindner and Renata Arantes, within the scope of the iAtlantic and the Marine Animal Forest of the World (MAF-WORLD) COST Action. The aim of the event was to teach the trainees the main concepts of identification and taxonomy of cold-water corals. The knowledge acquired is currently being used to the collected corals in Portugal within the scope of DEEPbaseline.
DEEPbaseline participated on September 18th in the CIIMAR Open Day event. During the event, the team had the opportunity to demonstrate the DEEPbaseline project to a general audience of tens of thousands of participants of different ages and nationalities through various interactive activities with researchers. The activities involved the demonstration of remotely operated vehicle (ROV) videos of different deep-sea habitats, a small workshop on identifying sponges and corals and environmental DNA, and an interactive activity on vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs).
08-09-2022
ECSA 59 conference: Using the best scientific knowledge for the sustainable management of estuaries and coastal seas
Between September 5th and 8th, 2022, researcher Ana Sofia Soares (CIIMAR) presented her work developed in the DEEPbaseline project in an oral presentation at the ECSA 59 conference held in San Sebastian, Spain. Her presentation focused on showcasing the results and final conclusions from her master’s thesis work, which addressed the interaction with fishing communities in Northern Portugal and the collection of local ecological knowledge about vulnerable marine habitats and indicator species.
22-06-2023
National Programme for Biological Sampling (PNAB) Crustaceans 2022
At sea! For two weeks, DEEPbaseline researchers from CIIMAR are participating in the campaign of the National Programme for Biological Sampling organized by partners of the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA). Onboard the RV Mário Ruivo, they have collected and processed samples of more than 50 sponge and coral species that occur on the Portuguese continental shelf and slope. These samples and data will be used to better understand the distributions of these species and the habitats they form.
15-03-2022
“Sem Espinhas” podcast EP. 7 with researcher Joana Xavier
Sem Espinhas is a science communication podcast that emerged with the main goal of bringing non-specialized audiences closer to the research carried out at CIIMAR. Given that we are going through the Decade of the Ocean (2020-2030), announced by the UN, it seems even more urgent to give voice and demystify some of the various wonders that the ocean encompasses.
In this seventh dose, we recommend that you equip yourself properly! You will need fins, a wetsuit, and a few compressed air bottles to dive into the deep sea. Who knows, maybe you will be lucky enough to find a 400-year-old Greenland shark. Alternatively, you can always take an ROV, and researcher Joana Xavier can help you by explaining what it is and how it works.
Artistic experiences that contribute to raising awareness in the community, especially among young people, about the importance of the deep ocean, are the objectives of the project Deep Listening Deep Sea(ing) – Mission Deep Sea 2. Therefore, this meeting marks the production of “audiovisual postcards” and “soundtracks” for ocean images/films, through the workshop “Imaginary Sound Cartography,” with a showcase of projects carried out in this field, and in the conferences, with the participation of Joana Xavier and Paulo Rodrigues.
Know more here!
16-05-2021
From the depths of our sea: Management and conservation of biodiversity at the planet’s marine frontier
The deep sea (>200 m) constitutes the largest and most unexplored biome on our planet. Here, we find a unique biodiversity with organisms that have evolved over millions of years and adapted to extreme environmental conditions. In this conversation, we will journey to the depths of our sea to get to know some of its inhabitants and ecosystems.
Know more here!
PRESS
15-03-2022
How to conserve the vulnerable world of the Portuguese deep sea?
At CIIMAR, in Matosinhos, Alejandra Mejía will use environmental DNA from the Portuguese deep sea to detect indicators of vulnerable marine ecosystems. The goal is to help with conservation efforts.
Until 2024, the researcher will study the composition of the fauna in Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VME), mainly corals and sponges, on the continental shelf and slope of Portugal. “Unravelling the composition of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems in the deep Eastern Atlantic Ocean through eDNA tools” is the name of the doctoral project that she will develop under the DEEPbaseline project, which brings together researchers, fishermen, stakeholders, and decision-makers.
16-11-2019
CIIMAR recognized by the Ocean Conservation Fund
A funding of 60,000 euros has been awarded to the DEEPbaseline project to be used for implementing measures for the conservation and sustainable management of habitats formed by sponges and corals.
Oceanário de Lisboa and the Oceano Azul Foundation present the 3rd edition of the Ocean Conservation Fund. Under the theme “Marine Invertebrates. Protecting in the ocean, the future of Earth”, this edition has a budget of 150,000 euros and will support projects that contribute to the conservation of marine invertebrate species.
Marine invertebrates are the focus of this year’s Ocean Conservation Fund. The winning research projects will receive their awards in Lisbon on Wednesday.
Know more here!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Stay tuned for upcoming events.
VIDEO AND PHOTO GALLERY
