https://cibio-tropibio.pt en
Professor Evandro Lopes, a researcher at the Institute of Engineering and Marine Sciences of the Technical University of the Atlantic (ISECMAR-UTA), has been awarded the prestigious Cabo Verde Global Scientific Prize. Organized by the Secretariat of State for Higher Education (SEES), the award honors outstanding research projects led by Cabo Verdean scientists both within the country and in the diaspora. The prize recognizes Dr. Lopes' groundbreaking project, "Biocatalog – Gestão Integrada e Interativa da Informação sobre a Distribuição de Espécies de Cabo Verde” ("Biocatalog – Integrated and Interactive Management of Information on the Distribution of Cabo Verdean Species”). This initiative organizes biodiversity data to promote equitable knowledge sharing about the archipelago’s natural heritage. Funded by the Environmental Fund, the [...]]]>
We are pleased to announce that the call for abstracts for TiBE 2024 is now open. 
You are invited to submit abstracts for oral and poster presentations for the TiBE 2024 conference, which will be held from 4 to 6 December in Vila do Conde (Portugal) under the theme "Ecology and Conservation in the Afrotropics: Enhancing Tropical Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research".

Abstracts can be submitted here. 
Deadline for submissions: extended to 6 September 2024

Additionally, proposals for thematic sessions can be submitted here.

We encourage early abstract submissions from people from non-EU countries to accommodate [...]]]> African forest elephants, lowland bongos and forest buffalos at a forest clearing. Photo: Gregoire Dubois
African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) are unique and crucial inhabitants of the Congo rainforest in Central Africa, with smaller populations in West Africa. Distinguished from their counterparts in Asia and the African savannas by appearance, diet and habitats, these elephants play a vital role in their ecosystems by maintaining biodiversity, facilitating seed dispersal of large carbon-storing trees and creating clearings that promote forest regeneration. As a keystone species, their survival is crucial for the health of tropical forests and their myriad inhabitants. Without them, carbon stocks and biodiversity of the Congo rainforest are at stake, fundamentally altering its [...]]]>
This year’s theme "Ecology and Conservation in the Afrotropics: Enhancing Tropical Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research” will bring together renowned scientists, researchers, students, and practitioners to discuss the latest trends and advancements in biodiversity and ecosystem research in tropical Africa.

Beyond that, this conference aims to foster collaboration and develop innovative solutions for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in this region. 

Proposals for thematic sessions that will help shaping the conference program can be submitted here. 

More information will be announced soon. 


Max’ fascination with invertebrates – ranging from centipedes to spiders to scorpions and insects – began at an early age, earning him the title of a self-proclaimed "bug nerd”. Driven by his keen interest in ants, his journey into entomology culminated in a PhD focused on the impact of invasive ants on Round Island (Mauritius), a tiny biodiversity gem in the Indian Ocean. Using cutting-edge techniques like dietary metabarcoding and behavioral observations, Max revealed the complex trophic interactions between invasive ants and native species. Post-PhD, he collaborated with the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and the Natural History Museum in London, venturing back to Mauritius to document the rich invertebrate diversity across its islands. His work shed light on previously unexplored facets of Mauritius' native invertebrate biodiversity, paving [...]]]> Photo: Gilberto Fernandez
Through seven years of dedicated research, Luke L. Powell and colleagues have shed light on the fascinating interactions between birds and driver ants (Dorylus sp.) in the lush rainforests of Equatorial Guinea.
Dorylus driver ants form massive colonies exceeding ten million individuals and are commonly known as army ants due to their aggressive foraging behavior. During bimonthly swarming events, they raid the forest floor in the quest for food and preying upon anything that crosses their path. While driver ants might be feared for their intimidating scissor-like mandibles, these remarkable creatures play a crucial role in sustaining a wide array of forest-dwelling species. This includes primates like Chimpanzees that use sticks to extract ants from their nests as a snack, [...]]]>
© Mohamed HenriquesSpanning two weeks from October 14 to 27, 2023, the field course took place in Djalicunda, Guinea-Bissau, with logistical support from our local partner, the KAFO Federation, a grassroots [...]]]> The congress focused on the theme "Environmental Education: The Key to Sustainability" and featured a variety of sessions on topics such as public policies, citizenship, planetary limits, and diversity. Ana Malhado, Luana and Karoline presented 3 posters and 1 oral presentation. They also met with a number of other researchers and practitioners from the CPLP region to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation on environmental education."The congress was a great opportunity to share our work on environmental education with other colleagues from the CPLP region," said Ana [...]]]> The second meeting was convened by Professor Dr. Angélica Martins, director of the Department of Biological Sciences at UEM. Several professors and researchers in the field of environmental conservation attended the meeting. During the meeting, all participants introduced themselves, explained their research, and identified several opportunities for interaction and synergy [...]]]> The research project, led by Dr. Jessé Marques Pavão (CESMAC/Brazil), aims to monitor the entire plastic production chain, focusing on disposal and recycling strategies to combat pollution. Over a period of 36 months, the project will be divided into three stages, utilizing [...]]]> The BBPP's collaborative efforts encompass three main areas. Firstly, it conducts research programs that aim to generate knowledge about Equatorial Guinea's [...]]]> Richard also met with Guida Santos and their (co-supervised) PhD student Sonia Llorente-Culebras at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid to plan Sonia´s remaining PhD chapters.

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Printscreen from the participants during the [...]]]> Read the book of abstracts here.
The presentation was well-received by attendees, with many expressing interest in the ways in which technology can be leveraged to strengthen the connection between humans and nature. Ladle's work was seen as particularly relevant given the ongoing global biodiversity crisis, which [...]]]> Various activities were show cased in CIBIO stands, for example one of the activities highlighted the various adaptations of birds, such as the morphology of their beaks and wings, and their [...]]]> This course aims to provide students with basic notions of structural equation models (SEM), a multivariate technique used to solve complex questions in biodiversity-related sciences, and quantile regression models, an alternative technique to traditional regression methods. The algebraic part of the models will not be emphasized, but their ecological applications. At the end of the course, the participant will be able to (i) formulate hypotheses and conceptual models based on complex relationships between ecological variables, (ii) apply the learnt statistical techniques, (iii) interpret and discuss the results obtained. It is [...]]]> Eponyms have no place in 21st-century biological nomenclature at Nature Ecology and Evolution journal. They argue that the practice of naming species after individuals, known as eponyms, is perpetuating the negative legacies of imperialism, racism, and sexism. One of the article’s authors, Professor Richard Ladle (Porto University), says "Naming a species after a person is always a political act, even if you are naming it after a family member. Enshrining the history of colonialism in the names of species is bad for taxonomy and for nature, as it devalues the important work of trying to protect biodiversity. When [...]]]>
To know more about the course, read The second part of the seminar delved into the role of keystone species for multiple types of interactions. Through a meta-analysis, the speakers proposed that the importance of keystone species extends across multiple ecological niche dimensions independently of their [...]]]> Strategic Opportunism: What Works in Africa" by Brian John Huntley presents lessons learned from six major conservation and research projects across ten African countries.
This open access book offers a synthesis of successful, sustained projects that illustrate how success can be achieved regardless of a nation's wealth, culture, or systems of governance. The case studies vary widely in their geography and goals, from the rediscovery of the last surviving populations of Giant Sable in central Angola to the conservation of seabirds in a sub-Antarctic island. The book also presents new models of regional collaboration and citizen-science-based projects. "Strategic Opportunism" is part of the book series "SpringerBriefs in Environmental Science (BRIEFSENVIRONMENTAL)" and is available for free and unlimited access.  The book is the [...]]]>
All organisms on Earth are connected to each other by ecological interactions, forming a complex web of life, the so-called ‘entangled bank’ coined by Charles Darwin. Network Theory brings concepts and tools that help to understand such complexity and to answer timely questions on ecology and conservation. This course aims to assist students to apply the science of Network Ecology to their research. It combines theoretical and practical classes with learning oriented by personal and group projects. 
The course contend will include: History [...]]]> Javier Martinez, who developed the GitHub site, says: "We believe that this platform will help facilitate collaboration among Tropibio and other researchers and improve the overall quality of our research".
The GitHub site is open to all researchers interested in biodiversity and genetic resources, regardless of their institutional affiliation. The site will also [...]]]> Summary of the roundtable – Many ecologists based in the Global North are working in the tropics. Yet, ethical implications arise from the interaction between Global North and South which often consists of imbalanced practices, such as parachute science or pre-established leadership in collaborations and publications. There is a pressing need to overcome this issue by identifying those practices and discussing ways to avoid them and promote inclusive research. To move forward on this discussion, we invited three panellists. Two members from the Tropical Biology Association (TBA) – Rosie Trevelyan and Mariana Carvalho – will share with us their work in the tropics, including their strategies for inclusiveness. [...]]]> Rosie Trevelyan, the Director of the Tropical Biology Association (TBA), stressed the importance of capacity [...]]]> On the first day of their visit, the TBA members held meetings in the afternoon to discuss the progress of Tropibio and the overall structure of the field course. The second day involved further discussions about the detailed structure of the course, associated logistics, and further steps in the morning, followed by the  roundtable in the afternoon.
The TBA members' visit was crucial to the success of Tropibio's fieldwork course, which aims to provide students with the necessary skills and experience to excel in the field of tropical biology. Rosie [...]]]> "I am excited to join Ignition PBS's professional development courses and learn from the experienced instructors and other professionals in the field," Ana Claudia said. "I believe this will be an excellent opportunity to enhance [...]]]> open-access book is free and unlimited to access, making it a valuable resource for students and researchers studying Angola's biodiversity. The book addresses the lack of academic resources in Portuguese, which has impeded the development of a new generation of motivated and skilled researchers and technicians. 

The book is the result of collaborative initiatives between CIBIO, and its Angolan partners, including the TwinLabs Programme and the UNESCO Chair Life on Land, and is expected to [...]]]> The talk focused on the recent research, discussions, and new developments on this subject in the scientific community worldwide.


A few slides from the talk (Title). 


A few slides from the talk (Content). 

CONDJUST. 
]]> The project's goal is to broaden the scope and impact of environmental awareness and scientific dissemination in order to promote knowledge democratisation [...]]]> The meeting started with a small introduction and welcome to everyone, followed by a brief introduction to the Tropibio project and a detailed Project progress per Work-package for the reporting period.  This included an overview of ongoing and planned Tropibio activities, Tropibio highlights, and the strategy for future development of the project.  The presentation was made by Richard Ladle and was followed by a very productive session of [...]]]> During her stay in Porto, from November 9th 2022 to January 8th 2023, Ludmilla concentrated on a chapter and a manuscript of her thesis: 1) A chapter on the taxonomic and functional diversity of small non-flying mammals in the Caatinga and 2) The use of the landscape by small non-flying mammals in [...]]]> During their time in Maceió, they also had various meetings with Jr researchers and undergraduate students, for paper discussions and future planning, and also met with Dr Chiara Bragagnolo to discuss the [...]]]>
Meeting [...]]]> Cristian Pizzigalli collected additional data for his Ph.D. project (FCT grant 2020.05054.BD), he implemented a survey on the Rio Cacheu to collect presence and genetic data on the West African crocodile (Crocodylus suchus) on the scope of his Ph.D. project and supervised the herpetofauna surveys of the MSc student Francisco dos Reis. Francisco dos Reis Silva's thesis is focused on studying how herpetofauna [...]]]> The meeting was an excellent opportunity for Thainá Lessa and Dr. Fernanda Alves-Martins to learn, apply, and teach others [...]]]> Ciência Viva project  and then went into more detail about bats, with the main objective of dispelling some myths about this amazing group of animals, e.g. "are bats blind?", "do bats suck blood?", etc. Ludmilla also spoke about the importance of these animals, and their role in nature. The children interacted and asked a lot of questions. This talk was part of the Science and Technology Week in Portugal, and it was organized by the Centro de Ciência Viva de Vila do Conde with the objective to promote contact between the scientific community and local schools.


Photo from Filipa´s talk.

revising an article about taxonomic uncertainty and the Linnean Shortfall; revising an article about taxonomic change in neotropical palms;reviewing an ERC proposal;discussing the joint supervision and future visit of a PhD student and the secondment of a post-doc from CSIC to the TROPIBIO project. All objectives were accomplished and new secondments have been planned. 



Cibio members, Tropibio team and visitors. 

Talk 1: Describing ignorance: Mapping biodiversity knowledge shortfalls (Joaquin Hortal): to know more  Talk 2: Taxonomic uncertainty and the challenge of estimating global species richness (Juliana Stropp)  to know more Language: EnglishPresential at CIBIO [...]]]> The hybrid workshop was attended by more than 100 participants, some of which were from the TWINLAB network. The workshop on evaluating and mapping shortfalls in biodiversity knowledge with an emphasis on the role of taxonomic uncertainty was followed by a very lively discussion that focused on practical ways of capturing taxonomic change for different groups in the absence of robust data and on the barriers to effectively linking taxonomy [...]]]> ]]>
Ana Filipa giving a lecture about wildlife survey techniques at the Universidade Lusofona da Guine-Bissau.


Ana Filipa [...]]]>
The Principe Scops-Owl, the eighth known bird species endemic to the island, has a unique call, and lives in a very restricted range within the Príncipe Obô Natural Park.  The new owl species was described in the open-access journal [...]]]> This book is available for download.  The physical version can be ordered too. A Portuguese translation - with also an open access version - is ongoing On the 24 of October, Rosie Trevelyan (Director of the TBA and member of the ERA Chair Boar) and Mariana Carvalho (Scientist, TBA) met with ERA Chair Richard Ladle and TROPIBIO researcher Filipa Palmeirim to discuss the joint delivery of a TROPIBIO/TBA field course in Guinea Bissau in 2023. It was agreed that the course would be jointly developed and delivered by Filipa and Mariana in association with TROPIBIO partners in Guinea Bissau. Further meetings were also planned including a visit of Rosie and Mariana to CIBIO in early 2023 to begin the process of course design.
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Raquel also participated between the 14th and 16th of October, in the field excursion of the 1st and 2nd year students of the same course to Mudumu region. They visisted the Mudumu National Park to have contact with the Namibian fauna and flora, the Livingstone museum to participate in the eradication of invasive plants, the closed crocodile factory and the Kwando camp to learn about management of touristic infrastructures. 
romoting environmental awareness and preserving biodiversity through the creation of digital games The Gamers4Nature project on October 19th 2022.The seminar was presented by Professor Pedro Beça (University of Aveiro, Department of Communication and Art) who contextualized the experience with developing digital games for promoting knowledge about environmental preservation and biodiversity conservation, and explained the Gamers4Nature (G4N) Toolkit to Game Design. To know more about the project read here. 
Talk abstract: The reconnection with nature is important for the adoption of sustainable environmental behaviors and, due to their interactive and immersive narrative, digital [...]]]>
Abstract: Avian insectivores of the tropical rainforest understory ("understory insectivores) are common, diverse, and often sensitive to disturbance of tropical forest, making them useful as sentinels of rainforest ecosystem change. In addition to the direct effects of forest disturbance on this guild, several recent high impact studies from primary rainforest in the Neotropics have shown declines in this guild, hinting at broader effects of climate change. In parallel to the patterns we are seeing in birds, recent studies show steep declines in arthropod [...]]]> The debate was very rich and looked at questions like: Why understory insectivores?; Is there real evidence that this trend is real and Pantropical or is it just Neotropical?; Is there an issue with [...]]]> here.
The Research Outreach article can be downloaded here DOI: 10.32907/RO-129-2502594871
The podcast can be listened The project brings together scientific development through cutting-edge research and data analysis with human actions and biodiversity conservation. It will be an immersion of six months of doctoral work in [...]]]> During his visit, [...]]]>
Meeting


Photo from the presentation. 

]]>  João also visited CIBIO from 23rd to 28th of August 2022 and met with the TROPIBIO team to discuss projects and future culturomics research in Brazil, Portugal, and PALOPs. A bit more information about the Summer School.
The course was organized and delivered by MIT Portugal, MIT, FEUP, and OKEANOS. The summer school works with oceanographic, biological and engineering problems in the ocean environment, such as acquiring, classifying, visualizing and interpreting environmental data. Using state-of-the-art technologies such as AUV, ROV, electronic tags, artificial intelligence, database, computer vision, stereo cameras, among others. Representing a great opportunity for TROPIBIO to know and evaluate the best available for [...]]]> Fieldwork in São Tomé and Principe – 10 / 28 July 2022

The general objective of this project is to quantify and map the intangible and tangible benefits generated by Obô Natural Park (and surrounding landscapes) in both São Tomé and Principe, thereby providing information to inform management plans and to develop actions to maintain and increase desired forms of [...]]]>
The fieldcourse was delivered by: 
● Dr Raquel Vasconcelos – Researcher Assistant at CIBIO-InBio, specialist in conservation genetics and island biogeography;● Prof Rui Figueira – Professor at the Higher Agricultural Institute, University of Lisbon, specialist in biodiversity informatics and the Portuguese Node Manager of GBIF;● Dr Fernanda Alves-Martins – Researcher Assistant at CIBIO-InBio, specialist in macroecology and [...]]]> aqui. 
Tropibio, the Technical University of the Atlantic, GBIF Portugal, and the Higher Institute of Agronomy presents the Advanced training in biodiversity data mobilization in Cabo Verde. The course will run from July 11 to July 15, 2022 in the Institute of Engineering and Marine Sciences, Technical University of the Atlantic,   Campus da Ribeira de Julião, São Vicente, Cabo Verde. 



This course is designed for students and professionals in Biological Sciences and similar areas who wish to acquire skills in the area of biodiversity data [...]]]> This is the second training course on reptile offered in Cabo Verde Archipelago, the first one happened in June 2022 in Santiago, and now, it was replicated in two Islands: São Vicente and Santa Luzia.
The objective of this training course was to introduce the main characteristics of the reptiles’ taxonomic groups, teach the specific methodologies for sampling, and to train the participants on the characterization and identification of native and introduced species on the island of São Vicente and Santa Luzia. 
The course had a theoretical component and a strong practical component, with field trips to different habitats on the island.  The 26 participants were from the NGO BIOSFERA, Universidade Técnica do Atlântico - UTA, IMar - [...]]]> Projeto Vitó Association on the Island of Fogo on the Cabo Verde archipelago. Founded in 2009, Projeto Vitó is engaged in a wide range of conservation and outreach activities including a ground-breaking initiative with local schools to raise awareness of Cabo Verde’s endemic plants. This initiative uses a combination of beautifully drawn murals and mini-botanic gardens, placed at schools and emblematic places,  to encourage school children (and adults) to recognize and care about the endemic plants and animals of this unique archipelago.
Members of Projecto Vitó hosted the TROPIBIO team for three days during which there was plenty of time to discuss their research projects (focused on turtles, seabirds and plants), communication activities and future plans, as well as visiting [...]]]> The potential of social media for Conservation Ecology on June 23, 2022 at 15:30 (GMT+1/WEST)Leia texto  em Português aqui.

In the age of smartphones and information technology, social media content is an emerging source of data for conservation ecology, providing new insights about species distributions, their phenology and behaviour, to identify species and landscapes that arouse public interest among many other applications. At the roundtable on the Potential of social media for Conservation Ecology, the expert panel will discuss these and other topics related to the use of technology for species conservation.

The roundtable will be moderated by Fernanda Alves-Martins, the expert panel are:Ana Sofia Vaz (CIBIO-InBio, University of Porto) Jhonatan Guedes-Santos [...]]]> Moderated by Fernanda Alves-Martins, Assistant Researcher at TROPIBIO, the roundtable brought together a distinguished panel of experts in the field. The panelists included Ana Sofia Vaz from CIBIO-BIOPOLIS, University of Porto, Jhonatan Guedes-Santos from the Federal University of Alagoas, Brazil, and Ricardo A. Correia from the University of Helsinki, Finland.
The roundtable focused on exploring the diverse aspects of social media as an emerging source of data for conservation ecology. The panelists delved into the potential of social media content to provide valuable insights into species distributions, phenology, behavior, and public interest in [...]]]> LineekelaOmwene Tuhafeni Nauyoma, a Junior Researcher in Wildlife Management and Conservation at the University of Namibia (UNAM), embarked on an enriching research journey by visiting CIBIO-BIOPOLIS. From April 14th to June 14th, 2022, LineekelaOmwene had the opportunity to collaborate with the TROPIBIO team members, Dr. F. Sequeira and Dr. Raquel Godinho, as well as being supervised by Dr. E. C. Fabiano from UNAM.
The focus of LineekelaOmwene's project, titled "Assessment of the conservation status of roan (Hippotragus equinus) and sable (Hippotragus niger) using ecological and genetic parameters in the Mudumu National Park, Namibia," involves employing ecological and genetic parameters to evaluate the conservation status of these majestic species. To further his research, LineekelaOmwene sought molecular genetics training and aimed to extract DNA from 80 non-invasive genetic samples, comprising 40 roan [...]]]> Leia aqui para texto em Português.
 Objective: to build essential assumptions of collaborative intent between Africa and Europe, including theoretical rationale, funding opportunities, limitations of the approach and other practical issues.
Target Audience: CIBIO / BIOPOLIS/ University of Porto researchers and associated partners in Africa (www.unescolifeonland.com/en/); other stakeholders in Europe-Africa collaboration. Researchers in general.
Format: Live broadcast on CIBIO's Youtube channel.
Registration: here the call for the event. 
A Live broadcast of the Workshop was aired on the CIBIO [...]]]> The TROPIBIO project embarked on an expedition to Angola from May 14th to June 6th, 2022, with the primary objective of consolidating the TwinLab Network in Angola. Led by the TROPIBIO team, including Carlos Pereira, Fernando Sequeira, Martim Melo, Luke L Powell, and Patrícia Guedes, the expedition aimed to present the TROPIBIO project to local partners and institutions such as Fundação Kissama, Agostinho Neto University, Total Energies, INBC, and University Mandume Ya Ndemufayo.
During the trip, the team engaged in fruitful interactions and knowledge sharing with various stakeholders. The visit to Fundação Kissama provided an opportunity to strengthen relationships with one of TROPIBIO's collaborators in Angola. Discussions focused on how TROPIBIO could contribute to capacity building within Fundação Kissama, including the possibility of organizing field courses in Angola. At [...]]]> Tropibio and Taxon-time projects invite to two webinars on Preparing an application for the Marie Curie post-doctoral fellowship on the June 2nd, 2022 as part of the TROPIBIO EU-Africa Cooperation Series - Marie Curie fellowships.The webinars are given jointly by Professor Richard Ladle, the Biodiversity ERA Research Chair at CIBIO, and Dr Juliana Stropp, an IF-ERC fellow at Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC) in Madrid. Professor Ladle is a Principal Investigator on the Tropibio project and has previously worked as an expert evaluator for the EC calls. Dr Stropp ran a very successful Webinar in Brazil in 2020 on applying for the MSCA Fellowships and the current webinars are an adaptation of this model.
Leia aqui para informação para o evento em NGO Lantuna and the University of Cabo Verde (UniCV), delivered a training course on reptiles on Santiago Island, Cabo Verde from the May 31st to the 2nd of June 2022. The objective of this training course was to introduce the main characteristics of the reptiles’ taxonomic groups, teach the specific methodologies for sampling, and to train the participants on the characterization and identification of native and introduced species on the island of Santiago. The course had a theoretical component and a strong practical component, with field trips to different habitats on the island.  The 15 participants were from the NGO Lantuna, from the National Directorate for the [...]]]> here the call for this event.  Two linked sessions/webinars were organized:
Webinar 1: A Webinar in English aimed at African researchers interested in applying for a Marie Curie fellowship. The Webinar focused on preparing and improving MSCA applications to ensure the maximum probability of success.

Recording of the [...]]]> The project's objectives extend beyond conservation alone. TROPIBIO, in collaboration with INDEFOR-AP, aims to empower local communities by building their capacity to monitor and safeguard biodiversity in [...]]]>
Quentin and Filipa at Tropibio Office


Background: Equatorial Guinea is one of the world’s richest regions in bat diversity and endemism. The bat fauna from the continental region has not been surveyed since the 1970s, while major threats to the bat populations continue to rise. On the other hand, the governmental institution INDEFOR-AP (National Institute for Forest Development and Management of the Protected Areas System) oversees biodiversity conservation of protected areas. Due to limited funding, language barrier (Spanish is the official language) and [...]]]> Graduate Program in Ecology from the Federal University of Pará.  It was attended by 12 participants from 7 Brazilian universities, and also from Peru e Venezuela. 


On the 17th of May Richard Ladle had an online meeting with Professor Jorge Palmeirim of the University of Lisbon. Professor Palmeirim has enormous experience of working in Portuguese-speaking Africa and has kindly agreed to be on the ERA Chair steering committee. Among the topics discussed were funding opportunities for tropical research in Portugal, future research collaborations and future reciprocal visits between the Tropibio team and Professor Palmeirim's group. ]]> 1) research collaboration in macroecology and culturomics;
2) development of a proposal for the Horizon Europe's forthcoming call on 'Digital Nature';
3) development of a training course on systematic conservation planning for postgraduate students.


Photos from the Tropibio team meeting with Ricardo Correia.



Nineteen people attended the workshop, including 10 local school students, three local guides, the village chief (régulo), three elements from Tiniguena NGO and two elements from the management committee of the UROK community [...]]]> Researcher Dr Ana Margarida (Guida) Santos and her PhD Student, Sonia Llorente-Culebras, both from the Terrestrial Ecology Group (TEG-UAM), Ecology Department Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain, visited CIBIO and met with the Tropibio team to discuss research and collaborations between the 26th to 28th of April, 2022.
The aim with this visit was: (1) to work on a new collaborative research project for assessing research trends in protected areas; (2) to define next steps for Sonia´s PhD chapters within an African context, and; (3) to move forward research on the representation of woman in biogeography. Guida and Sonia each presented a seminar and also discussed additional ideas and projects with other members of the TROPIBIO team. Further meetings are being planned and Sonia will be visiting CIBIO for a longer period later in the year. 

Title: Island Tales: an overview of island life
Abstract: Since Darwin and Wallace’s voyages, islands have been recognized as natural laboratories for the study of ecological and evolutionary processes. Indeed, much of the research carried out on islands has significantly marked our way of understanding and conserving nature. Examples of this are MacArthur and Wilson's Theory of Island Biogeography, which continues to be a fundamental conceptual framework in areas such as ecology, evolution and conservation. In this talk, I present an overview of my main contributions about the processes leading to community assembly on islands, from [...]]]> Title: Trends in biodiversity studies on protected areas.
Abstract: The planet is facing unprecedented levels of biodiversity loss. With the goal of preserving the most singular and biodiverse regions, most of the countries have designed a network of protected areas. Traditionally, prioritization frameworks have aimed to protect areas that represent the highest species richness or threatened species. Thus, the design, study, and assessment of protected areas has been addressed mostly from a taxonomic point of view. But these approaches may overlook the different functions that species perform in [...]]]> The objectives of the Exhibition are well summarized in the following transcript of the dissemination documents: "(…) The Exhibition of the University of Porto is an event aimed, fundamentally, at students of basic and secondary education, constituting an open window to discovery and to the knowledge of the different areas of activity and research of the university that brings together the most complete offer of training programs in Portuguese higher education. At the U.Porto there are more than 600 training programs that guarantee teaching solutions [...]]]> Hoch Cunningham Environmental Lectures  at Tufts University, USA on April 14th.  The seminar was entitled The Birds, the Bees and the African Chocolate Trees and you can watch it in here. Talk abstract: Humans destroy the equivalent of one Ireland-sized swath of tropical rainforest every year – mostly due to expansion of agriculture; meanwhile, the human population of Africa will quadruple by the end of the century, putting enormous pressure on natural resources. Fortunately, cacao, most of which is grown in Africa, need not be as destructive as other crops – it is grown under a lush canopy of rainforest trees, which if managed appropriately, can support biodiversity comparable to that of primary rainforest. These shade trees [...]]]> Led by Fundação Kissama (FK) and supported by various organizations including the Institute for Biodiversity and Conservation Areas in the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Environment (INBAC) and the African Bird Club (ABC), the project has received funding from the World Land Trust. The project coordinator, Michael Mills from FK, will be overseeing the implementation.
The project will focus on increasing the forest area at Mount Moco by implementing measures such as training local villagers to protect the forest from fires and improving native forest tree planting [...]]]> The SCCS is the only international series of conservation conferences aimed entirely at students. It is a great conference to network and meet students from all over the world and meet with professional from world renowned NGO’s such as Tropical Biology Association, Flora & Fauna International, Society for Conservation Biology, etc. This year, the SCCS had around 180 delegated from 43 different countries.
Patrícia presented a poster entitled "Unveiling the impacts of nest predation by introduced mammals on the endemic-rich avifauna of Príncipe Island”  on her work in Príncipe Island, to which TROPIBIO contributed with funds for metabarcoding analysis (see figugre below). Patrícia [...]]]> In summary, the objective is the organization of a set of dissemination activities, in the form of Seminars / Workshops, aimed at the CIBIO community, African partners of the CIBIO TwinLabs Network, focusing on the general rationale and long-term priorities of the North-South cooperation schemes, and potential funding opportunities. 
It has been proposed two major actions:- a national perspective, consisting of the involvement of the focal points of initiatives such as the HLPD, PERIN, and the "Green Deal” and other Agro and Biodiversity issues related to Africa;- an international perspective, involving potential elements of the European Commission's DG/RTD and/or other [...]]]> This exchange contributed immensely for strengthening the connections between Felipe, and the Tropibio members based in Vairão. Also, the visit was a great opportunity to discuss his PhD research, and to align the methodologies being used in the ‘Assessing the Cultural Value of Protected Areas in São Tomé and Príncipe’ project. This methodology is about employing machine [...]]]> Title: IDENTIFICATION OF CULTURAL ECOSYSTEM SERVICES USING SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENTAbstract: Cultural ecosystem services (CES) are the non-material contributions that people receive from nature and are generally challenging to measure and map. In this study, we downloaded thousands of social media photographs taken across more than 8.500km of a tropical coastline and used machine learning to analyze their content and identify CES. We were able to identify and map 5 categories of CES and compared CES counts and richness between sustainable use areas, strictly protected areas and non-protected areas. We found that strictly PA had more counts and richness of CES when compared with [...]]]> This course gave important insights and knowledge on research synthesis to Patrícia, allowing her to better assist other TROPIBIO researchers in their research and conduct her own on topics relevant to the project. 
]]> Professor Jeremy Searle, one of the World’s leading experts in small mammal ecology from Cornell University (https://blogs.cornell.edu/searlelaboratory/members/). Prof. Searle was particularly interested in the small mammal surveys the Tropibio Team is planning in Angola and Guinea Bissau. Cornell University, where Prof. Searle works, is also a leading institute for bird research and there is great potential for more formal links with CIBIO-Biopolis. Plans for including Cornell researchers in Tropibio research and training events will be discussed during the next meeting in New York.

This conference – held at the start of the ‘UN International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development’ – brought together, for the first time, researchers and managers working an all aspects of the mountain systems of Southern Africa. The main objectives where to: i) showcase the multiple research and management efforts being carried out in the region, and ii) bring together [...]]]> online.  Theme: European universities between territorial integration and global ambition: a new dynamic for the Europe-Africa partnership
The event had two major round tables:1) How can European university alliances fuel European and African partnerships and the global dimension of higher education?2) How can European university alliances respond to global challenges in collaboration with African partners?


]]> An expedition organized by the TROPIBIO project ventured into Guinea Bissau from February 10th to March 1st, 2022, with the aim of studying and documenting the biodiversity of the Corubal basin region. Led by Manuel Lopes Lima, PhD, the team comprised a diverse group of experts, including hydrobiologists, entomologists, biologists specializing in environmental DNA sampling, herpetologists, and graduate students from Portugal and Guinea Bissau.
The main objectives of the expedition revolved around the collection of environmental DNA samples along the Corubal River and its associated wetlands, as well as the gathering of specimens of insects, molluscs, fish, amphibians, and reptiles. This comprehensive approach aimed to establish reference molecular libraries for these understudied groups and gain insights into the biodiversity and biogeography of the Corubal region.
Throughout the [...]]]> This talk was part of the BIODIV Postdoctoral Program 1st year seminars. 
Project abstract: Equatorial Guinea is a country located in the Gulf of Guinea, Africa, one of the world’s richest regions in bat diversity and endemism. The bat fauna from the continental region has not been surveyed since the 1970s, while major threats to the bat populations continue to rise. Thus, there is an urgent need to know the bats and provide local authorities with basic expertise. As part of Laura´s PhD [...]]]> Portuguese Ecological Society (SPECO).
The roundtable was moderated by Rúben Oliveira, member of the SPECO Board and coordinator of the Network. Conservation culturomics is a new sub-discipline partly developed by Tropibio team members that uses big data to explore human-nature interactions at scale (see Ladle et al. 2016. Conservation culturomics. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 14(5), 269-275.)
This is part of the DivECO events and took place at the SPECO Youtube channel, on February 24th (Thursday) at 6pm (Portugal time).To know Dr Evandro Lopes from the Technical University of the Atlantic, Cabo Verde (UTA) to discuss research and collaborations in March 2022. 
The purpose of Evandro´s visit was the knowledge transfer of metabarcoding methods to the Technical University of the Atlantic, and discussion of the best practices for sample exchanges. In addition, his visit allowed us to promote networking among UTA, Tropibio members and other Cibio/Biopolis researchers and students. This visit is part of a new project that has started in January 2022 called the  BIGFIT (EXPL/BIA-EVL/0470/2021).



Photo: Dr Evandro Lopes in [...]]]> Dr Joaquín Hortal and Dr Juliana Stropp in the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid, Spain, to discuss ongoing collaborations between the Tropibio and the EU-funded Taxon-time project. Specifically, they discussed the application of Maps of Biogeographical Ignorance to Tropibio focal countries in Africa, completed a manuscript on the impact of taxonomic uncertainty on estimates of unknown species, and began planning forthcoming workshops on mapping biodiversity in Porto (2022) and Namibia (2023). 



]]> These specific events were:Universities as gateways between Africa and Europe: promoting a sustainable EU-AU partnership through university collaboration – Convened by African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) and the Guild of European Research Intensive University.  This session was held on February 14th 2022, and invited speakers/contributors were Hilde Bras (Professor of Economics and Social History, University of Groningen, the Netherlands), Barry Dwolatzky, (Professor in Electrical and Information and Director of Innovation Strategies, University of [...]]]> CIBIO Azores, at the University of the Açores, São Miguel island.

They visited CIBIO´s research labs (Genomics, Limnology, Paleolimnology, among others), and learnt about the research and activities happening in the Azores.  This was an initial meeting to explore synergies and opportunities for future collaboration. However, it was already agreed that Richard would go back in May to participate in CIBIO’s Spring Seminar event in the Azores. Claudia started discussions on collaborating on a ‘science communication for kids’ project, drawing on experience at the RE-MAR, the really nice book called "Mostra-me o Mar" (Digital book with children's story about the ocean) and from projects developed by the team in Alagoas. Brazil (Lacos 21/ CIBIO/ [...]]]>
This talk was part of the BIODIV Postdoctoral Program 1st year seminars. 


]]> Tropibio researchers and collaborators got together to plan actions and research for the Tropibio project in 2022 with the main objectives of introducing what has been done up to now, discussing training courses and capacity raising activities and research plans for 2022.  The meeting was hybrid (in person and online) and it was attended by the PI Pedro Beja, the whole ERA Chair team, CIBIO researchers and PhD students.  
Richard Ladle delivered an introductory talk and reminded the team about the Tropibio´s mission and goals.  Claudia Malhado talked about the communication activities that has been developed and Luke Powell, Filipa Palmeirim, and Fernanda Alves-Martins presented their research proposals for 2022. 
A few photos from the event:
The team members of the project are: Raquel Vasconcelos (CIBIO-BIOPOLIS), Brent Emerson (IPNA), Fernando Sequeira (CIBIO-BIOPOLIS), Maria Romeiras (ISA-UL), Evandro P. Lopes (UTA), PhD student Catarina J. Pinho (CIBIO-BIOPOLIS) and an UTA student (to be determined).
Project abstract:Understanding the entangled network of interactions in natural communities and how species evolve in response to factors such as competition for resources are fundamental biological questions with implications for the conservation of endemic biodiversity. Although often referred to in the literature, cases providing strong support for character displacement (CD)– the evolutionary process whereby two resource competitors diverge [...]]]> The meeting and the pre-congress sessions took place virtually from 6-17 December with the main thematic "The future is now: Sustaining Biodiversity for Today and Tomorrow.   

ICCB is the premier global meeting for conservation scientists and professionals, including researchers, students, agency personnel, environmental educators, practitioners, and other conservation stakeholders. Attendees gather for lively discussions and scientific presentations on the nexus between biodiversity conservation and genetics, ecology, biogeography, anthropology, history, psychology, economics, conservation marketing, religion, and more.
Tropibio team presented 2 talks and 1 poster: 

1. Richard Ladle´s talk was entitled: Taxonomic Uncertainty and the Linnean [...]]]>

Group photo in an outdoor meeting day. 



]]>
The program is linked to the Institute of Biological Sciences and Health (ICBS) of the Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL), Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil, and promotes scientific and technological research in an environment of discussion and scientific exchange between regional, national and international groups and institutions. 
The meeting was held on  December 10th at the Hotel Jatiúca,  and main objectives of the meeting were to evaluate the DIBICT postgraduate programme, discuss the challenges experienced and expectations for the future of the students, and discuss assessment in the age of uncertainty: focusing in productivity, planning and initiatives.
The Biology Week is a classic event of the Biological Sciences Course and always highly anticipated by students. The roundtable was entitled Paths to Scientific Dissemination and Claudia´s talk was entitled: "Scientific Dissemination for Children".






The talk was entitled Gradients of insect diversity in the Neotropical region: Where are we and where are we going? The talk was part of the Seminar Series on "The Ecology of Insects in a changing world”.




Printscreen of Fernanda´s presentation. 

]]> WELCOME SEMINAR

Title: EXPLORING DIFFERENT FACETS OF MACROECOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN AN AGE OF BIG DATA: TRENDS, GAPS AND OPPORTUNITIES
The traditional goal of macroecology is explain biodiversity patterns at large temporal and spatial scales. However, the profound impacts of anthropogenic global changes promoted a shift towards a more applied discipline. In this talk, Fernanda Alves-Martins has explored the challenges and opportunities that macroecology face in view of the massive volume of environmental and biodiversity databases that are freely available. She has shared the results of studies focused on several biological groups, including insects, birds and plants, conducted in Neotropics, North America and Africa. The talk has highlighted methods and approaches to integrate and data from different sources and how they can be used to solve [...]]]> Title: MAKING REWILDING INVESTIBLEDr Paul Jepson, Ecosulis Ltd, UK The decade of ecosystem restoration signifies the ambition to move from a defensive focus on nature conservation to protective focus on nature recovery. Rewilding offers a promising approach to ecosystem restoration; financial markets are ready and willing to ‘finance green’ and major corporations are looking for tangible means to become ‘nature positive’.  Ecosulis is developing technologies to convert changes in ecosystem integrity and biodiversity quality into ‘units’ that can be produced, traded and invested in.  In this talk I will introduce key concepts in rewilding science and the opportunities for scaling nature recovery presented by the rise of Environmental & Social Governance (ESG). I will then introduce the conceptual architecture of a rewilding token solution and the underling indices, and identify some [...]]]> When: 2021 November 18th to December 9th 
Tropibio team: Luke Powell, Ana Filipa Palmeirim, Patrícia Guedes, Luís Palma, Ricardo Rocha and Cristian Pizzigalli. 
Objectives: This exploratory trip to Guinea-Bissau allowed the TROPIBIO team to prospect areas for future studies, meet with local partners and develop collaboration for research in the country.
Please read the short expedition report here!


In Cantanhez National Park, installing a camera trap
The TROPIBIO collaborator Dr Paul Jepson (Nature Recovery Lead at Ecosulis Lda) visited CIBIO and met with the TROPIBIO team to discuss research and collaborations between the 16th to 22nd of November, 2021. 
Dr Jepson is one of the great original thinkers in conservation, and has worked across the academic, NGO (Birdlife) and private sectors. He is currently head of research and development at Ecosulis, one of the UK's top environmental consultancies.  He has also played a big role in the development of rewilding in Europe. The aim with his visit to CIBIO and the TROPIBIO team was to work on a new collaborative protocol for assessing protected area assets and to discuss possibilities for start-ups. Paul also gave a seminar  and discussed various additional ideas and projects with the TROPIBIO team. Further meetings are being planned during 2022, both [...]]]> The V Symposium on ecological networks took place in Palma, in the island of Mallorca (Balearic Islands). It was a special and novel Symposium in the sense that it brought together, for the first time, biologists and theoretical physicists who work on network theory or use it as an approach to understand the structure and functioning of biological communities. That was an excellent opportunity to share methodologies and results and it will serve as a platform to develop joint projects in the future.
Filipa´s talk was entitled "Emerging properties of species-habitat networks in fragmented landscapes: a multi-taxa analysis", authors: Ana Filipa Palmeirim, Carine Emer, Maíra Benchimol, Danielle Storck-Tonon, Anderson S. Bueno and Carlos A. Peres.

Welcome Seminar

Title: Biodiversity in fragmented landscapes: from terrestrial to insular forest patches
Habitat loss, fragmentation and subsequent degradation are primary drivers of biodiversity loss worldwide. In the tropics, hydropower development is becoming a major cause of habitat loss and fragmentation, often creating vast archipelagic landscapes, in which forest islands are isolated within a uniformly hostile open-water matrix. This talk has explored how species respond to insular habitat fragmentation as induced by dam construction. Such species responses were then be contrasted with those found for terrestrial matrix settings. Study cases on multiple taxonomic groups from the Brazilian Amazon and Southeast Asia were presented to illustrate the variety of species responses to habitat loss and fragmentation.
The workshop was entitled the "Bayesian integrated modelling workshop” and took place  in Glasgow, from 27-29 Oct, 2021 at the University of Glasgow. The participants used Bayesian integrated modelling to pull together data from different methods for monitoring animals (e.g., camera traps and acoustic monitors), and then they "integrated" these data to get a much more precise count of how many animals are present.  Luke aims to use this technique for some of the species that the Tropibio team will be monitoring in Lusophone Africa. 
Precise and accurate ("robust”) estimates of abundance are extremely important for conservation ecology.  But monitoring for animals often takes place using several methods at once, so integrating these to datasets can help with the robustness of estimates. For example, the global population of [...]]]>




The AEET congress covered various topics on ecology including biodiversity, evolutionary ecology, global change, computational ecology, big data, education, agroecology and socio-ecological systems, providing a full opportunity for constructive discussions about different aspects of ecological research for TROPIBIO. Fernanda presented an oral talk, two posters presentations, and also attended workshops on [...]]]> When: October 6th  to 22nd 2021
Tropibio team: Luke Powell, Filipa Palmeirim, Patrícia Guedes
Objectives: ● Scout the islands and plan for projects to be developed there● Meet local entities and develop partnerships● Increase collaboration of Tropibio team with STP partners● Install LifePlan Project in São Tomé
Please read the short expedition report here! 





]]> This discipline, led by the Professor Manoel Santos-Filho, is part of the Post-Graduation Program in Environmental Sciences (PPGCA) of the State University of Mato Gross (UNEMAT).In this class (in Portuguese), Filipa has provided an overview of the importance of considering multiple spatial scales to understand and predict patterns of biodiversity persistence in human-modified landscape. That was further illustrated based on study cases on vertebrates from landscapes in the Mato Grosso state. Also, at the end of her class, Filipa had the opportunity to present the TROPIBIO project to the students.
]]> Diversity – a challenge for the life and health sciences’, on October 1st, 2021, at the Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Porto University.
This workshop was organised by Anna Olsson, Margarida Saraiva e Baltazar Cá from i3S, in addition to Ricardo Rocha and Rita Covas from CIBIO. The workshop offered an opportunity to talk about diversity, and the lack of that, in the research carried out in Portugal. During the morning, sessions were focused on biological and biomedical sciences regarding diversity. In the afternoon, sessions were focused on the discussion of strategies that could promote diversity within the academic community.

There was a ver important talk of Cristina Roldão entitled ‘Racismo estrutural no acesso ao ensino [...]]]>



]]> Their mission was to collect samples and to study the diet of these species. Like many regions in the Tropibio project, Fogo Island is relatively poorly known and this important expedition generated valuable data on  the terrestrial reptiles that inhabit the region, contributing to our understanding how they may be involved in pollination and seed dispersal.
To know more:
 Text and photos from Projecto [...]]]> ]]>

Poster advertising the talk:
The record of the talk can be seen here.
]]> When: 2021 September 1st to 10th Tropibio team: Pedro Vaz Pinto,  Kerllen CostaObjectives: The Namba mountains have remained as one of the last strongholds, possibly the most important, for Angolan Afromontane forests. The objective of this expedition was to open up the way to the Afromontane forests of the Namba mountains - finding routes and areas for base camps for future long-term expeditions. This expedition was designed as a reconnaissance trip in preparation for a bigger interdisciplinary future expedition.

Main camping site used for this expedition. Tents were placed under the shade of miombo trees, next to large granite outcrops and the dirt road that services the farm. Stream runs along line of trees at left.

Pedro Beja, the TROPIBIO coordinator, visited São Tomé in July 2021 with a mission to establish a TwinLab and foster collaboration with BirdLife. The trip encompassed crucial meetings with local stakeholders, site visits to potential sampling sites, and an exploration of seabird breeding sites at Sete Pedras. This expedition aimed to fortify partnerships, facilitate knowledge exchange, and advance biodiversity research and conservation efforts in São Tomé.
During his stay, Pedro Beja presented CIBIO and TROPIBIO, engaging with stakeholders at the Portuguese Cultural Centre and the University of São Tomé. The itinerary included visits to the Botanic Garden, Lobata, Roça Agostinho Neto, and potential sampling sites for invasive species and oil palm plantations. The exploration of breeding sites for seabirds at Sete Pedras further contributed to [...]]]> This activity is an advanced collaboration between STP authorities and civil society, BLI and various academic and research partner institutions, including synergies with TROPIBIO, and additional CIBIO/BIOPOLIS associates. There are two CIBIO/TROPIBIO Tasks within the project:

i. "Environmental Impact of Invasive Mammal Species and Associated Risks of Zoonosis” with the aim to improve the understanding of impacts of invasive mammalian species on STP’s natural and transformed ecosystems, with a particular focus on their eventual negative effects on endangered species and their zoonotic potential, thereby providing baseline information towards management plans and actions to [...]]]> WELCOME WEBINAR IN BIODIVERSITY AND EVOLUTION
Title: Understanding birds, bats and ecosystem services in African forests and cocoa farms: Findings to date, pitfalls, and a path forward
Cocoa, which fuels the multi-billion dollar chocolate market, is grown in tropical rainforest—mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa on family owned farms. African farmers typically rely on nature for pest insect removal and pollination, but neither farmers nor biologists know which birds, bats or arthropods provide these services.
Here Luke provided an overview of the Sustainable Cocoa Project in Cameroon. Specifically, the project seeks to understand:1) How cocoa management affects bird and bat diversity2) Which birds and bats consume cocoa pests and malaria-transmitting Anopheles mosquitos (via diet DNA metabarcoding)3) How much these insectivores save farmers (via exclusion experiments)

Dr Vasconcelos was part of a team made up of participants from Tropibio/Cibio, University of Coimbra, University of Aveiro, and the Vitó Project (a non-governmental organization of Cabo Verde). The team worked with around 30 students from the 9th to the 11th grade of a school on the island of Fogo to plan and film a video that alerts the local population to the importance of conserving the Endangered and endemic Vaillant's skink (lagarto chinel or lagarto de Vaillant in Portuguese),  in order to reverse the long and difficult relationship between reptiles and humans on the Island. The students also answered questionnaires to assess their attitudes towards reptiles and the importance attributed to the conservation of these animals, before and after work. The results were published in the journal The main theme of the congress was " Lessons, advances, and opportunities in the face of global change”, divided into the following 10 different subthemes and sessions: 
The TROPIBIO team presented three talks entitled "Multi-scale Determinants of Species Diversity: The Case Study of Lizards and Small Mammals in Amazonian Insular Forest Fragments” (by Filipa Palmeirim); "Putting a Price on the Menu: Evaluating Bat and Bird Ecosystem Services in African Cocoa [...]]]>
The first TROPIBIO Webinars will take place on the 19th July 2021 with the objective to assist early career researchers in Africa to apply for post-doctoral opportunities in Europe (e.g., the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships).  There were two linked webinars:
1. A Webinar in Portuguese aimed at researchers and students from Lusophone Africa. This webinar begins with an introduction to CIBIO’s TROPIBIO project and outline different ways that African Lusophone researchers can collaborate or contribute. This will be followed by an overview of the MSCA fellowships and outline the key steps in preparing a proposal.



2. A [...]]]> The first two sessions of the TROPIBIO Webinar and training in this series was given on the 19th of July 2021, with the main objective to assist early career researchers in Africa, as well as CIBIO-BIOPOLIS researchers, to apply for post-doctoral opportunities in [...]]]> This course, led by the Professors Maíra Benchimol and Jose Carlos Morante-Filho, is part of the Post-Graduation Program in Ecology and Conservation (PPGEC) of the State University of Mato Gross (UNEMAT). In this class (in Portuguese), Filipa has provided an overview of the different species responses to habitat loss and fragmentation across tropical forests. Species responses were illustrated based on a set of study cases on vertebrates from landscapes in the Amazon biome and in tropical forests in Southeast Asia. Also, at the end of her class, Filipa had the opportunity to present the TROPIBIO project to the students.
]]>



 


]]> Described with the name of Hemidactylus nicolauensis, the new species – of the genus Hemidactylus – is genetically distinct from the Bouvier's gecko H. bouvieri, to which it was previously associated, and from all other closely related endemic Hemidactylus from the Cabo Verde Islands in mitochondrial and nuclear markers. It is morphologically characterized by distinct colouration and a different and diagnostic arrangement of the finger lamellae.


Female of the new gecko from the island of São Nicolau in Cabo Verde, Hemidactylus nicolauensis, deposited [...]]]> WELCOME WEBINAR IN BIODIVERSITY AND EVOLUTION Talk title: Webinar: Nature Conservation in the Digital Age: Conservation Culturomics and iEcology

Conservation has famously been described as a ‘crisis discipline’ where decisions often have to be made on the basis of limited, incomplete or absent data. Such shortfalls are especially acute in the tropics which host the majority of the world’s biodiversity, but which contain regions where scientific capacity is extremely limited. At the same time anecdotal evidence suggests that human interactions with nature are in dramatic decline across the world with potentially negative effects for both human well-being and, more generally, support for nature conservation and the environmental agenda. In this talk I [...]]]> The project team members are: Raquel Vasconcelos (CIBIO-BIOPOLIS), Joana Paupério (CIBIO), Evandro Lopes (UTA), Isildo Gomes (INIDA), and Maria Romeiras (ISA-UL). 
Project abstract: Introduced species are one of the main threats to biodiversity, especially on islands. The introduction of mice in these systems has already led to the devastation of some habitats and the extinction of many species worldwide, also causing great losses at an economic level. However, the impacts of these micro-mammals on native and domestic plants are rarely quantified due to the lack of taxonomic knowledge and the delay in obtaining data using traditional methods of morphological [...]]]> The ULG/CIBIO partnership seeks to consolidate the knowledge and teachings offered to students in the Marine and Environmental Sciences course (CMA course), with two branches of specialization, Environmental Management and Oceanography and Marine Resources. Through this partnership, CIBIO/BIOPOLIS/TROPIBIO will provide internship positions to final year students in the CMA course.
This partnership is expected to strengthen the academic and scientific exchange between ULG and CIBIO, providing students with the [...]]]>