Ecosystem-based management planning across aquatic realms at the Ria de Aveiro Natura 2000 territory

First characterization of the faecal resistome of eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), a sentinel species for aquatic environments

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health concern. Nowadays, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are considered emerging pollutants. This study followed the One Health framework, in which AMR surveillance in the environment, including in wild animals, is advisable to mitigate this problem. Here we investigated AMR associated with Eurasian otter, a semi-aquatic mammal considered an indicator of freshwater health. To do so, otter's faecal resistome was characterized by a high-throughput qPCR array. This technique has a high-capacity of ARGs profiling. Additionally, we have assessed the antimicrobial susceptibility of two indicator bacteria, E. coli and Enterococcus spp, isolated from otter spraints and interpreted the results according to clinical and epidemiological cut-offs (ECOFFs).

The application of Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection (UMAP) for unconstrained ordination and classification of biological indicators in aquatic ecology

The analysis of community structure in studies of freshwater ecology often requires the application of dimensionality reduction to process multivariate data. A high number of dimensions (number of taxa/environmental parameters × number of samples), nonlinear relationships, outliers, and high variability usually hinder the visualization and interpretation of multivariate datasets. Here, we proposed a new statistical design using Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection (UMAP), and community partitioning using Louvain algorithms, to ordinate and classify the structure of aquatic biota in two-dimensional space. We present this approach with a demonstration of five previously published datasets for diatoms, macrophytes, chironomids (larval and subfossil), and fish. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Ward's clustering were also used to assess the comparability of the UMAP approach compared to traditional approaches for ordination and classification. The ordination of sampling sites in 2-dimensional space showed a much denser, and easier to interpret, grouping using the UMAP approach in comparison to PCA. The classification of community structure using the Louvain algorithm in UMAP ordinal space showed a high classification strength for data with a high number of dimensions than the cluster patterns obtained with the use of a Ward's algorithm in PCA. Environmental gradients, presented via heat maps, were overlayed with the ordination patterns of aquatic communities, confirming that the ordinations obtained by UMAP were ecologically meaningful. This is the first study that has applied a UMAP approach with classification using Louvain algorithms on ecological datasets. We show that the performance of local and global structures, as well as the number of clusters determined by the algorithm, make this approach more powerful than traditional approaches.

Pathogenicity of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) from wildlife: Should we care?

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is one of the most frequent bacterial agents associated with food-borne outbreaks in Europe. In humans, the infection can lead to life-threatening diseases. Domestic and wild animals can harbor STEC, and ruminants are the main STEC reservoirs, although asymptomatic. In the present study we have characterized STEC from wildlife (wild boar (n = 56), red deer (n = 101), red fox (n = 37) and otter (n = 92)). Cultivable STEC (n = 52) were isolated from 17% (n = 49) of the faecal samples. All the isolates were non-O157 STEC encoding stx1 (n = 2; 4%) and/or stx2 genes (n = 51; 98%). Only one strain (2%) isolated from red fox had an antibiotic resistant phenotype. However, when the normalized resistance interpretation of epidemiological cutoffs (NRI ECOFFs) were used, 23% (n = 12) of the strains were non-wildtype to at least one of the antibiotics tested. After analysis by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), 20 strains were selected for whole genome sequencing and belonged to the following serotypes: O27:H30 (n = 15), O146:H28 (n = 2), O146:H21 (n = 1), O178:H19 (n = 1), and O103:H2 (n = 1). In addition to stx, all strains encode several virulence factors such as toxins, adhesins, fimbriae and secretion systems, among others. All sequenced genomes carried several mobile genetic elements (MGEs), such as prophages and/or plasmids. The core genome and the phylogenetic analysis showed close evolutionary relationships between some of the STEC recovered from wildlife and strains of clinical origin, highlighting their pathogenic potential. Overall, our results show the zoonotic potential of STEC strains originating from wildlife, highlighting the importance of monitoring their genomic characteristics following a One Health perspective, in which the health of humans is related to the health of animals, and the environment.

A case study of local ecological knowledge of shellfishers about edible cockle (Cerastoderma edule) in the Ria de Aveiro lagoon, Western Iberia

BACKGROUND

The cockle is available to numerous fishing villages in Europe, especially Portugal. In the Ria de Aveiro, there is a lack of a fisheries management program and the need for new ecological studies on cockle biology, ecology, and conservation. We shared local ecological knowledge (LEK) highlights about the cockle-Cerastoderma edule (Linnaeus 1758) in the Ria de Aveiro in favor of adaptive management of this bioresource.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews with sixty shellfishers in this coastal lagoon were carried out during April and May 2021. LEK data on the biology and ecology of the cockle were analyzed using an ethical-emic approach and the model of integration of different individual skills. These informal data were compared with previously published data for the species, the Fish Base, and GBIF databases.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The average minimum size of the cockle for capture was 23.4 mm, and the average capture per tide was 137.12 kg. The areas with the highest productivity and the most shellfish were RIAV1 and RIAV2. Cockles inhabit areas of sand and mud at an average depth of 2.71 cm. Feeds are mainly small particles, plankton, mud, and algae. The main predators were crabs, European plaice, and bird species. Cockles spawn primarily in late spring and summer. As of 2010, there was a slight decrease in cockle stocks in the Ria de Aveiro due to overfishing, increased rainfall, and changes in the sediment. Considering and analyzing this knowledge is essential for a better understanding of the environmental context the cockles thrive in the view of users of the natural resource.

CONCLUSION

Informal data shared by shellfishers in the Ria de Aveiro were typical of filter-feeding bivalves. LEK may assist in planning future management plans for cockles, and unrefuted data may serve as untestable hypotheses. Ethnobiological studies in the Ria de Aveiro lagoon with other species may improve the management of this system since multiple fisheries are carried out in this coastal area.

Enhancing the resilience of Zostera noltei seagrass meadows against Arenicola spp. bio-invasion: A decision-making approach

Seagrass meadows provide important and valuable ecosystem services. They are affected by several natural and human-induced stressors, but a combination of natural recovery and management actions have recently inverted the worldwide reduction. The main objectives of this study were to provide science-based knowledge on ecology and restoration, framed on environmental-related policies. By coupling the general guidelines with practical experience, obtained from sequential in situ experiments carried out for several months in a show-case study area, this study provides guidelines useful for restoration practitioners. A decision-making approach is proposed to answer the following questions: 1) What is the best Zostera noltei transplanting method? 2) What is the best technique to reduce the bioturbation activity of Arenicola spp.?, 3) Do bioturbation reduction techniques affect the survival rate of Z. noltei transplants?, and finally, 4) What are the key steps to maximize the success of a Z. noltei transplant and increase the species' resilience? Having a Portuguese coastal lagoon as show-case (Mira Channel, Ria de Aveiro), different transplant and restoration methodologies were tested (i.e. metal frames, nails, bamboo sticks, shoots inserted unanchored into the sediment, and intact units of sediment with seagrasses, named as SODs) to assure low environmental impact on donor meadows, high survival rate of transplanted shoots and the recovery of fragmented or lost meadows. Moreover, to potentially reverse a degraded Arenicola spp. colonized seagrass habitat, different types of natural membranes were tested. Results showed that the best transplanting method is the use of SODs as the self-facilitation process of Z. noltei is enhanced, while being the least invasive for the donor population. The use of a natural membrane can significantly decrease the bioturbation stress caused by Arenicola spp., with jute membrane being the best option, given its cost-handling-benefit trade-offs. Enhancing the success of seagrass restoration requires the implementation of effective measures by environmental restoration practitioners. We defined a three-step process to improve the resilience of Z. noltei. This stepwise approach consists on 1) Characterization of the donor population, 2) Identification of the constraints and implementation of measures to prevent them, and 3) Scale-up the restoration plan. The application of this stepwise approach in intertidal coastal and estuarine systems management will, therefore, facilitate the success of Z. noltei restoration plans.

Networks, Innovation and Knowledge Transfer in Tourism Industry: An Empirical Study of SMEs in Portugal

The present study aims to investigate how commercialisation and knowledge transfer between the SMEs of the tourism sector and the higher education institutions (HEIs) are made, as well as to find out whether the SMEs of the tourism sector are part of tourism networks, and what their motivations are. We used a qualitative methodology, applying the triangulation method to eight SMEs and one HEI. The results indicate that the commercialisation and knowledge transfer between the SMEs and the HEIs are not effective. SMEs are part of regional networks of business innovation; however, they do not participate in R&D activities with HEIs. Some suggestions were made to SMEs, HEIs, and regional governments to speed up commercialisation and knowledge transfer in the tourism sector. We adapted the Triple Helix Model to the tourism sector, thus creating the “Triple Helix in the Tourism Context”. Only a few studies have researched knowledge commercialisation in the tourism sector, a gap that this article aims to compensate.

The potential of ecosystem-based management to integrate biodiversity conservation and ecosystem service provision in aquatic ecosystems

Global aquatic biodiversity keeps declining rapidly, despite international efforts providing a variety of policies and legislations that identify goals for, and give directions to protecting the world's aquatic fauna and flora. With the H2020 project AQUACROSS, we have made an unprecedented effort to unify policy strategies, knowledge, and management concepts of freshwater, coastal, and marine ecosystems to support the achievement of the targets set by the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020. AQUACROSS has embraced the concept of ecosystem-based management (EBM), which approaches environmental management from a social-ecological system perspective to protect biodiversity and to sustainably harvest ecosystem services. This special issue includes contributions resulting from AQUACROSS, which either tackle selected EBM challenges from a theoretical point of view or apply EBM in one of the selected case studies across Europe. In this article, we introduce relevant topics, address the most important lessons learnt, and suggest where research should go with aquatic EBM. We hope that this special issue will foster and facilitate the uptake of EBM in aquatic ecosystems and, therewith, provide the on-ground applications needed for evaluating EBM's utility to safeguard aquatic biodiversity.

Governance for Sustainability of Estuarine Areas—Assessing Alternative Models Using the Case of Ria de Aveiro, Portugal

Estuaries are one of the most productive and complex types of ecosystems supporting a wide range of economic activities. Departing from a set of governance problems and emergent goals, such as sustainability or climate change adaptation faced by an estuarine case study area, Ria de Aveiro, in Portugal, this article assesses the adequacy of alternative governance models under the existing water resources legal framework and traditional political culture. It shows that apart from the centrally-based compliance model, all other alternatives require high degrees of institutional reforms. Moreover, although the model based on a dedicated new agency, long preferred by many users of Ria de Aveiro, is the most understandable and focused, it does not assure the pursuance of adaptability or collaboration, which are considered essential for estuary governance. As it relies on collective action and multi-level and multi-agent contexts, estuarine governance may require a new institutional design. Where one begins a process of institutional change, however, is not a simple issue to address and demands a deeper analysis, particularly on the types of required institutional changes, as well as on their impacts on policy and decision-making outcomes over estuarine environments and associated socio-ecological networks.

Risk to the supply of ecosystem services across aquatic ecosystems

The capacity of ecosystems to supply ecosystem services is decreasing. Sustaining this supply requires an understanding of the links between the impacts of pressures introduced by human activities and how this can lead to changes in the supply of services. Here, we apply a novel approach, assessing 'risk to ecosystem service supply' (RESS), across a range of aquatic ecosystems in seven case studies. We link aggregate impact risk from human activities on ecosystem components, with a relative score of their potential to supply services. The greatest RESS is found where an ecosystem component with a high potential to supply services is subject to high impact risk. In this context, we explore variability in RESS across 99 types of aquatic ecosystem component from 11 realms, ranging from oceanic to wetlands. We explore some causes of variability in the RESS observed, including assessment area, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and population density. We found that Lakes, Rivers, Inlets and Coastal realms had some of the highest RESS, though this was highly dependent on location. We found a positive relationship between impact risk and service supply potential, indicating the ecosystem components we rely on most for services, are also those most at risk. However, variability in this relationship indicates that protecting the supply of ecosystem services alone will not protect all parts of the ecosystem at high risk. Broad socio-economic factors explained some of the variability found in RESS. For example, RESS was positively associated with GDP and artificial and agricultural land use in most realms, highlighting the need to achieve balance between increasing GDP and sustaining ecosystem health and human wellbeing more broadly. This approach can be used for sustainable management of ecosystem service use, to highlight the ecosystem components most critical to supplying services, and those most at risk.

Linking biodiversity to ecosystem services supply: Patterns across aquatic ecosystems

Global initiatives have been increasingly focusing on mainstreaming the values of biodiversity and ecosystem services into decision-making at all levels. Due to the accelerated rate at which biodiversity is declining and its consequences for the functioning of ecosystems and subsequently, the services they provide, there is need to develop comprehensive assessments of the services and the benefits nature delivers to society. Based on expert evaluation, we identified relevant flow linkages in the supply-side of the socio-ecological system, i.e. from biodiversity to ecosystem services supply for eight case studies across European aquatic ecosystems covering freshwater, transitional, coastal and marine waters realms. Biological mediated services were considered, as well as those reliant on purely physical aspects of the ecosystem, i.e. abiotic outputs, since both have implications for spatial planning, management and decision-making. Due to the multidimensional nature of ecosystems and their biodiversity, our approach used ecosystem components such as habitats and biota as proxies for biodiversity and as the focal point for linkage identification. Statistical analysis revealed the importance of considering mobile biota in the spatial assessment of habitats. Contrary to literature evidences so far, our results showed significantly different and complementary ecosystem services supply patterns across the continuum of aquatic realms. The implemented score of ecosystem services supply has a high potential for integrated aquatic ecosystem service supply assessments in the context of ecosystem-based management.

Participatory coastal management through elicitation of ecosystem service preferences and modelling driven by "coastal squeeze"

The Baixo Vouga Lagunar (BVL) is part of Ria de Aveiro coastal lagoon in Portugal, which is classified as a Special Protection Area under the European Habitats and Birds Directives. This part of the system, corresponding to the confluence of the Vouga River with the lagoon, is very important culturally and socioeconomically for the local communities, taking place several human activities, especially agriculture. To prevent salt water intrusion from the Ria de Aveiro into agriculture fields, a floodbank was initiated in the 90's. In frame of ongoing changes in Ria de Aveiro hydrodynamics, the existing floodbank will be now extended, introducing further changes in the ecological dynamics of the BVL and its adjacent area. As a consequence, the water level in the floodbank downstream side is expected to rise, increasing the submersion period in tidal wetlands, and leading to coastal squeeze. The aim of this study is to apply an ecosystem based-management approach to mitigate the impacts on biodiversity resulting from the management plan. To do so, we have modelled the implications of the changes in several hydrological and environmental variables on four saltmarsh species and habitats distribution, as well as on their associated ecosystem services, both upstream and downstream of the floodbank. The ecosystem services of interest were prioritized by stakeholders' elicitation, which were then used as an input to a spatial multi-criteria analysis aimed to find the best management actions to compensate for the unintended loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the BVL. According to our results, the main areas to be preserved in the BVL were the traditional agricultural mosaic fields; the freshwater courses and the subtidal estuarine channels. By combining ecology with the analysis of social preferences, this study shows how co-developed solutions can support adaptive management and the conservation of coastal ecosystems.

Exploring variability in environmental impact risk from human activities across aquatic ecosystems

Aquatic ecosystems are under severe pressure. Human activities introduce an array of pressures that impact ecosystems and their components. In this study we focus on the aquatic domains of fresh, coastal and marine waters, including rivers, lakes and riparian habitats to transitional, coastal as well as shelf and oceanic habitats. In an environmental risk assessment approach, we identified impact chains that link 45 human activities through 31 pressures to 82 ecosystem components. In this linkage framework >22,000 activity-pressure-ecosystem component interactions were found across seven European case studies. We identified the environmental impact risk posed by each impact chain by first categorically weighting the interactions according to five criteria: spatial extent, dispersal potential, frequency of interaction, persistence of pressure and severity of the interaction, where extent, dispersal, frequency and persistence account for the exposure to risk (spatial and temporal), and the severity accounts for the consequence of the risk. After assigning a numerical score to each risk criterion, we came up with an overall environmental impact risk score for each impact chain. This risk score was analysed in terms of (1) the activities and pressures that introduce the greatest risk to European aquatic domains, and (2) the aquatic ecosystem components and realms that are at greatest risk from human activities. Activities related to energy production were relevant across the aquatic domains. Fishing was highly relevant in marine and environmental engineering in fresh waters. Chemical and physical pressures introduced the greatest risk to the aquatic realms. Ecosystem components that can be seen as ecotones between different ecosystems had high impact risk. We show how this information can be used in informing management on trade-offs in freshwater, coastal and marine resource use and aid decision-making.