Environmental Markers of Plastics and Microplastics.

The slow reaction rates to chemical and photochemical degradation are well-known properties of plastics. However, large plastic surfaces exposed to environmental conditions release particles and compounds that affect ecosystems and human health. The aim of this work was to identify compounds associated with the degradation of polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics (markers) on silica and sand and evaluate their use to screen microplastics on natural sand.

The influence of upwelling on key bivalves from the Humboldt and Iberian current systems.

Eastern Boundary Upwelling Systems (EBUS) deliver cold, nutrient-rich waters, influencing coastal biota from the molecular to the ecosystem level. Although local upwelling (U) and downwelling (DU) conditions are often known, their influence on body attributes of relevant species has not been systematically compared within and between EBUS (i.e.

A horizon scan exercise for aquatic invasive alien species in Iberian inland waters.

As the number of introduced species keeps increasing unabatedly, identifying and prioritising current and potential Invasive Alien Species (IAS) has become essential to manage them. Horizon Scanning (HS), defined as an exploration of potential threats, is considered a fundamental component of IAS management. By combining scientific knowledge on taxa with expert opinion, we identified the most relevant aquatic IAS in the Iberian Peninsula, i.

Ecological sensitivity and vulnerability of fishing fleet landings to climate change across regions.

The degree of exposure of fishing communities to environmental changes can be partially determined by the vulnerability of the target species and the landings composition. Hence, identifying the species that ecologically most contribute to the vulnerability of the landings are key steps to evaluate the risk posed by climate change. We analyse the temporal variability in intrinsic sensitivity and the ecological vulnerability of the Portuguese fisheries landings, considering the species proportions derived both from the weights and revenues.