Nuno Formigo - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Nuno Formigo

A Directiva Quadro da Água (DQA) estabelece que as massas de água de superfície deverão ser difer... more A Directiva Quadro da Água (DQA) estabelece que as massas de água de superfície deverão ser diferenciadas por tipos, grupos de massas de água com características morfo-climáticas relativamente homogéneas, consideradas relevantes para a determinação das condições ecológicas. Segundo a DQA, os tipos são diferenciadas com base em dois métodos: o sistema A e o sistema B. Com a aplicação do Sistema A obtiveram-se 18 tipos. Constatou-se que a generalidade dos tipos estava representada em todo o território de Portugal Continental o que, de acordo com o conhecimento existente, não traduzia a heterogeneidade ecológica do território e o gradiente climático Norte - Sul. A aplicação do Sistema B permitiu identificar 6 regiões morfo-climáticas e 27 tipos de rios, que incluem cursos de água com uma percentagem em território nacional superior a 1% da rede de drenagem total ou, pelo menos, um troço com comprimento superior a 40 km. De acordo com o conhecimento actual das comunidades bióticas, este ...

AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts, May 1, 2005

Limnetica, 2001

This work is part of a study on the depuration efficiency of a wastewater biological treatment pl... more This work is part of a study on the depuration efficiency of a wastewater biological treatment plant (WTP) and on the impact of the plant on the watercourse receiving the effluent through the analysis of the benthic macroinvertebrate community. The objective of the present work is to give estimates of the colonisation time of artificial substrates by macroinvertebrates. The substrates were broken bricks held in plastic net bags. These were placed in the four lagoons of a WTP and in three points along the watercourse receiving the effluent. Samples were collected biweekly, during three months, and analysed using the benthic macroinvertebrate community method. The "best colonisation time" (BCT) was determined by analysis of the time variation of variables such as number of organisms, belgium biotic index, Shannon-Weaver diversity index and the Pielou equitability index. BCT corresponds to the moment when more than majority of values of these variables are maximal, BCT was usually thirty days. After this period a stabilisation or even decrease of these values was apparent.

Limnetica, 2004

forms of energy production, less harmful to the environment (Costa, 1997) At present, the coming ... more forms of energy production, less harmful to the environment (Costa, 1997) At present, the coming into effect of the new communitarian legislation demanded the closing of the enterprises that didn't obey the working norms demanded by the legislation. These hydroelectric plants of small dimensions, can work by water trickle and have small lagoons, which

Fisheries Research, 2005

In Europe, research to improve age estimation methods is often limited to small-scale studies and... more In Europe, research to improve age estimation methods is often limited to small-scale studies and thus it has been difficult to integrate innovations into routine protocols. There has even been a lack of pilot scale studies and implementation of control mechanisms in the age reading process. This was recognised and addressed by European Fish Ageing Network (EFAN; 1997-2000). EFAN was established as an active, independent and informal network for exchange of ideas and experience for improving age estimation. For the first time, age reading problems were addressed on a common platform across Europe. EFAN improved awareness and sensitivity towards the quality of age reading, however, this did not always deliver changes in the routine age reading processes. The present project, Towards Accreditation and Certification of Age Determination of Aquatic Resources (TACADAR); 2002-2006 aims to submit a quality assurance manual including an evaluation of the legal aspects and implications to the European Union (EU). Through the network of excellence, TACADAR will strengthen the competitive position of European institutions involved in fish ageing through institutional synergy and international cooperation .

Water

Despite the key role of zooplankton communities in regulating the water quality of lentic ecosyst... more Despite the key role of zooplankton communities in regulating the water quality of lentic ecosystems, they are absent from the list of biological elements of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) for the assessment of ecological status. Based on this, the present work was a case study that aimed to understand the relevance of zooplankton as a bioindicator for classifying the water quality of reservoirs. For one year and in each season, the water quality of the Torrão reservoir was assessed using the mandatory elements proposed by the WFD in the sampling year (second cycle) and the legislation currently applicable (third cycle). Additionally, zooplankton samples were collected to characterize the community dynamic. The water quality of the Torrão reservoir does not reach the WFD good ecological potential. Furthermore, with the updating of the criteria, the classification tends to get worse. Concerning the zooplankton, the occurrence of Cyclopoida and Bosmina are associated with lower w...

Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2022

Limnetica, 2020

Contribution of zooplankton as a biological element in the assessment of reservoir water quality ... more Contribution of zooplankton as a biological element in the assessment of reservoir water quality European water policies aim to achieve a good ecological status in all water bodies. The Water Framework Directive (WFD) defined a group of biological elements to assess water quality. In reservoirs and lakes, phytoplankton is the only biological element used for water quality evaluation. However, zooplankton is an important link in the trophic web, since it is able to control the phytoplankton community and was already described as a good bioindicator, with high sensitivity to different environmental stresses. The main goal of this work is to demonstrate the ability of zooplankton communities to be used in the evaluation of water quality in reservoirs. A group of four reservoirs in the north of Portugal (Paradela, Alto Cávado, Alto Rabagão, and Venda Nova) were sampled every three months, during one year, to assess the water quality. Physical and chemical parameters, as well as phytoplankton communities, were studied according to the metrics proposed by the WFD for this typology of water bodies. Additionally, zooplankton communities were also sampled in each reservoir, to understand if their seasonal dynamics are influenced by alterations of the water quality in the reservoirs. Results show that the reservoirs present a good ecological potential, according to WFD reference values for physical and chemical parameters and phytoplankton communities, with occasional drops to moderate ecological potential due to variations in the dissolved O 2 and total phosphorus values. The results observed in the dynamics of zooplankton communities show that this biological element is sensitive to changes in the reservoirs and provides a more detailed image of the state of the ecosystem. Zooplankton communities responded to alterations in the water level in the reservoir, to shifts in the trophic status and in the water quality, both at the taxonomic level and on a functional perspective. Therefore, the metrics proposed by WFD to evaluate water quality in reservoirs seem to be insufficient to understand all the alterations that occur in these aquatic ecosystems.

Annales de Limnologie - International Journal of Limnology, 2020

Serra da Estrela is Portugal's mainland highest mountain, with distinctive geological, climat... more Serra da Estrela is Portugal's mainland highest mountain, with distinctive geological, climatic and geomorphological characteristics which play a key role on surface and groundwater resources. These mountains have the largest set of glacial ponds of Portugal and are scarcely studied. Besides, there are concerns of possible impacts of the use of salts in road de-icing on ponds' biotic communities. This research intends to characterize the hydrology of five Mediterranean alpine ponds and assess their planktonic communities. The biotic index proposed by the Water Framework Directive for lentic systems was used to check its applicability to these systems. Sampling was conducted monthly from June to November 2015 alongside with hydrological characterization. Water parameters and nutrients' content were quantified. Phytoplankton and macrozooplankton were identified. Ponds' water level is controlled by precipitation (input) and evaporation, infiltration and streamflow (outp...

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 2021

The Water Framework Directive (WFD) was adopted in 2000 and is a common framework for water polic... more The Water Framework Directive (WFD) was adopted in 2000 and is a common framework for water policy, management and protection in Europe. The WFD assesses specific parameters; however, it ignores indicators of ecosystem functioning and sub-individual performance. Reservoirs are strongly influenced by anthropogenic activities that promote their imbalance. Bioassays and biomarkers are useful tools to link the chemical, ecological and toxicological assessments in water quality assessments. These approaches can be complementary to WFD methodologies, allowing the detection of impacts on the ecosystem. This study evaluated if the biochemical parameters can improve the sensitivity of the biomonitoring strategy using bioassays with the standard species Daphnia magna, in the assessment of the ecological quality of water reservoirs. To this end, water samples of Portuguese reservoirs were analysed in three sampling periods (Autumn 2018 and Spring, Autumn 2019). In parallel, a physicochemical characterization of waters was performed. D. magna feeding rate assays were performed for 24 h. After exposure, metabolism, oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation biomarkers were evaluated. Feeding rate assays showed sensitivity to different reservoirs. Biomarkers showed a higher sensitivity and can therefore improve the sensitivity of the biomonitoring strategy using bioassays. Bioassays and biomarkers approach allowed to highlight potential sources of stress, more related to the quality of the seston than to chemical contamination. This work highlights the complementarity between bioassays and biomarkers to identify ecotoxicological effects of surface waters, and can be extremely useful, especially in cases where the biotic indices are difficult to establish, such as reservoirs.

Science of The Total Environment, 2017

Knowledge and Management of Aquatic Ecosystems, 2012

The use of river-types is of practical value, serving as groups for which assessment procedures c... more The use of river-types is of practical value, serving as groups for which assessment procedures can be developed and applied. An abiotic typology was set by the Portuguese Water Agency, mainly based on 6 major morphoclimatic regions. However, to be biologically meaningful, this typology should fit the distribution patterns of the biological quality elements communities proposed in Water Framework Directive under the lowest possible human pressure. This study aimed to identify and characterize fish-based geographical groups for continental Portugal and their environmental and geographical discriptors, using taxonomic and functional traits. Sampling took place between 2004 and 2006 during Spring. Fish fauna from 155 reference sites was analysed using a multivariate approach. Cluster Analysis on fish composition identified 10 fish-groups, expressing a clear correspondence to the river basin level, due to the restrict basin distribution of many species. Groups showed a wider aggregation in 4 regions with a larger geographical correspondence, statistically supported by Similarity Analysis, both on fish composition and mostly on fish metrics/guilds. Principal Components Analysis revealed major environmental drivers associated to fish-groups and fish-regions. Fish-groups were hierarchically grouped over major and local regions, expressing a large-scale response to a North-South environmental gradient defined by temperature, precipitation, mineralization and altitude, and a regional scale response mainly to drainage area and flow discharge. From North to South, fish-regions were related to the morphoclimatic regions. Results contributed to reduce redundance in abiotic river-types and set the final typology for Portuguese rivers, constituting a fundamental tool for planning and managing water resources.

Parasitology Research, 2011

The morphology, ultrastructure, genetics, and morphometrics of a species of Diplostomum von Nordm... more The morphology, ultrastructure, genetics, and morphometrics of a species of Diplostomum von Nordmann 1832 (Digenea: Diplostomidae), isolated from the European flounder (Platichthys flesus (L.)) caught off the northwest coast of Portugal, are characterized. The metacercarial stage was found unencysted in the lens capsule of the eye. Light microscopical observations revealed the existence of some variability in specimen shape and size, with two morphotypes, referred to as…

Fisheries Research, 2000

In the 19 km long A Ã ncora River, divided by 20 waterfalls and dams and emptying to the Atlantic... more In the 19 km long A Ã ncora River, divided by 20 waterfalls and dams and emptying to the Atlantic Ocean in north Portugal, ®sh were sampled for the bioenergetics study. Average monthly water temperature during the year at sites along the river course was in the range 8.5±218C. The four ®sh populations' consumption, both in energy and mass units, was lower at sites in the middle course of the river, which was isolated from upstream sites by numerous waterfalls and dams. The gross (K 1) and net (K 2) ecological ef®ciencies of brown trout, roach and nase were very low, but detritus was their dominant food item. Eel, which ate animal food only had two to three times higher growth ef®ciencies than other ®sh. High mean monthly water temperatures from May to August and the isolation effect were probably the causes of a low utilisation of consumed food for growth in the populations investigated.

ABSTRACT A definição de tipos de massas de água é uma etapa fundamental do processo de avaliação ... more ABSTRACT A definição de tipos de massas de água é uma etapa fundamental do processo de avaliação ecológica preconizado pela Directiva-Quadro da Água (DQA). Só assim é viável definir situações de referência e, comparativamente, classificar o estado ecológico de cada tipo de rio. A necessidade de produzir e aplicar índices piscícolas no âmbito da implementação da DQA justificou a definição de tipos de rios com base no elemento peixes. Inicialmente, os cursos de Portugal Continental foram divididos em tipos com base em critérios essencialmente morfológicos e climáticos, sendo posteriormente necessário testar a validade desta Tipologia Abiótica para os peixes,confirmando a sua adequação ou definindo outros tipos. Neste trabalho sintetizam-se documentos anteriormente produzidos procedendo-se a: (i) apresentação sucinta dos procedimentos envolvidos no estabelecimento da Tipologia Nacional de rios,designadamente a validação biológica da Tipologia Abiótica e o desenvolvimento de uma Tipologia Piscícola, e (ii) caracterização das condições de referência para cada Tipo, relativamente à ictiofauna.

Polskie Archiwum Hydrobiologii/Polish Archives of Hydrobiology, 1998

The effectiveness of two-catch electric fishing to assess fish diversity, density (N), and standi... more The effectiveness of two-catch electric fishing to assess fish diversity, density (N), and standing crop (B) was investigated over two successive years (1991-1992) at seven sites in the Ancora River catchment, north Portugal. Fish communities in the Ancora River comprise brown trout Salmo trutta, Iberian roach Rutilus arcasii, Iberian nase Chondrostoma polylepis and eel Anguilla anguilla. The total population density (N) and biomass (B) were in the range 0.2-1.1 indiv. m super(-2) and 2.0-13.4 gm super(-2), respectively. Of the four ...

Energy Reports, 2019

The decline in annual rainfall, coupled with the growing demand for water in agricultural fields,... more The decline in annual rainfall, coupled with the growing demand for water in agricultural fields, triggered a new crisis in today's world. Thus, the focus is on finding solutions to new water resources. Taking a look at the normal daily life, most of the households' effluents can be ranked into a less-polluted category, called greywater. Excluding human dejects, greywater comprises the outflow from washing machines, dishwashers and bathtubs. It is considered an effluent with a more economic treatment, because it contains less microbial pollution. Hence, this work revises the effects of greywater irrigation on the quality of crops, and provides a comprehensive study of the effects of greywater on the quality of soil. Furthermore, a comprehensive discussion is carried out to evaluate the energy consumption of facilities for both greywater and wastewater treatment to provide water used in irrigation. It also addresses current methodologies for treating greywater and evaluates the effects of crops irrigation with treated and untreated greywater, indicating the type of treatment chosen depending on the type of crop to be irrigated. c