Publications by authors named "X L Otero"
Article Synopsis
- Mangroves are vital for carbon storage but are threatened by human activities.
- Iron oxides play a crucial role in stabilizing soil organic carbon (SOC), especially poorly crystalline forms that better protect SOC from degradation.
- Land use changes, like converting mangroves to pastures and shrimp ponds, significantly reduce the capacity of iron to retain SOC, impacting carbon sequestration.
Global environmental contamination by microplastics (MPs) is a growing problem with potential One Health impacts. The presence of MPs in vital organs, such as the heart, is of particular concern, but the knowledge is still limited. The goal of the present pilot study was to investigate the potential presence of MPs in the heart of wild specimens of three commercial fish species (Merluccius merluccius, Sardina pilchardus, and Trisopterus luscus) from the North East Atlantic Ocean.
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- Phosphorus is crucial for mangrove productivity, which helps in nutrient cycling and carbon sequestering, but mangroves are facing degradation.
- This study examines how soil phosphorus fractions change after mangrove restoration by analyzing various sites in SE-Brazil, focusing on factors like redox conditions, pH, Total Organic Carbon (TOC), and different phosphorus forms.
- Results indicate that older restored mangroves have higher TOC and different phosphorus levels compared to unvegetated areas, suggesting that mangrove restoration can positively impact soil nutrient dynamics.
This study investigates the impact of seasonality on estuarine soil geochemistry, focusing on redox-sensitive elements, particularly Fe, in a tropical estuary affected by Fe-rich mine tailings. We analyzed soil samples for variations in particle size, pH, redox potential (Eh), and the content of Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Pb. Additionally, sequential extraction was employed to understand the fate of these elements.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMicroplastic (MP) pollution has become a global concern due to its potential impacts on the environment, ecosystem services and human health. The goals of the present study were to document the MP contamination in wild specimens of Mytilus galloprovincialis sampled along the Atlantic coast of the North region of Portugal continental (NW Portuguese coast), and to estimate the human risk of MP intake (HRI) through the consumption of local mussels as seafood. Mussels were collected at four sampling sites along the NW Portuguese coast (40 mussels per site), and the whole soft body of each mussel was analysed for MP content.
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