Browsing by Author "Freitas, Teresa R."
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- Analysis of the UDP-glucuronosyltransferase gene in Portuguese patients with a clinical diagnosis of Gilbert and Crigler–Najjar syndromesPublication . Costa, Elísio; Vieira, Emília; Martins, Marcia; Saraiva, Jorge A.; Cancela, Eugénia; Costa, Miguel Rocha; Bauerle, Roswitha; Freitas, Teresa R.; Carvalho, João; Santos-Silva, Ermelinda; Barbot, José; Santos, RosárioWe describe the molecular study in a cohort of 120 Portuguese patients with the clinical diagnosis of Gilbert syndrome and in one with the diagnosis of Crigler–Najjar syndrome type II, as well as a prenatal diagnosis of Crigler–Najjar syndrome type I. Among the 120 unrelated patients with Gilbert syndrome, 110 were homozygous for the [TA]7 allele ([TA]7/[TA]7), and one patient was a compound heterozygote for two different insertions ([TA]7/[TA]8). The remaining 9 patients were heterozygous for the TA insertion ([TA]6/[TA]7). Additional studies in these 9 patients revealed heterozygosity for the c.674T>G, c.488_491dupACCT and c.923G>A mutations, in 1, 1 and 4 patients, respectively. The patient with Crigler–Najjar syndrome type II was a compound heterozygote for [TA]7 and the c.923G>A mutation. The undocumented polymorphisms c.-1126C>T and c.997-82T>C were also detected in the course of this study. Prenatal diagnosis in a family with a boy previously diagnosed as Crigler–Najjar syndrome type I and homozygosity for the c.923G>A mutation revealed that the fetus was unaffected. Homozygosity for the [TA] insertion was found to be the most frequent cause of GS in our population. Identification of further mutations in the UGT1A1 gene was also seen to contribute significantly towards diagnosis.
- Climate regulation ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation are enhanced differently by climate-and fire-smart landscape managementPublication . Campos, João C.; Rodrigues, Sara; Sil, Ângelo Filipe; Hermoso, Virgilio; Freitas, Teresa R.; Santos, João A.; Fernandes, Paulo M.; Azevedo, João; Honrado, João P.; Regos, AdriánThe implementation of climate-smart policies to enhance carbon sequestration and reduce emissions is being encouraged worldwide to fight climate change. Afforestation practices and rewilding initiatives are climate-smart examples suggested to tackle these issues. In contrast, fire-smart approaches, by stimulating traditional farmland activities or agroforestry practices, could also assist climate regulation while protecting biodiversity. However, there is scarce information concerning the potential impacts of these alternative land management strategies on climate regulation ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation. As such, this work simulates future effects of different land management strategies in the Transboundary Biosphere Reserve of Meseta Ibérica (Portugal-Spain). Climate-smart (‘Afforestation’, ‘Rewilding’) and fire-smart (‘Farmland recovery’, ‘Agroforestry recovery’) scenarios were modelled over a period of 60 years (1990–2050), and their impacts on climate regulation services were evaluated. Species distribution models for 207 vertebrates were built and future gains/losses in climate-habitat suitability were quantified. Results suggest climate-smart policies as the best for climate regulation (0.98 Mg C ha−1 yr−1 of mean carbon sequestration increase and 6801.5 M€ of avoided economic losses in 2020–2050 under Afforestation scenarios), while providing the largest habitat gains for threatened species (around 50% for endangered and critically endangered species under Rewilding scenarios). Fire-smart scenarios also benefit carbon regulation services (0.82 Mg C ha−1 yr−1 of mean carbon sequestration increase and 3476.3 M€ of avoided economic losses in 2020–2050 under Agroforestry scenarios), benefiting the majority of open-habitat species. This study highlights the main challenges concerning management policies in European rural mountains, while informing decision-makers regarding landscape planning under global change.
- Climate- and fire-smart landscape scenarios call for redesigning protection regimes to achieve multiple management goalsPublication . Iglesias, Miguel Cánibe; Hermoso, Virgilio; Campos, João C.; Carvalho-Santos, Cláudia; Fernandes, Paulo M.; Freitas, Teresa R.; Honrado, João P.; Santos, João A.; Sil, Ângelo Filipe; Regos, Adrián; Azevedo, JoãoIntegrated management of biodiversity and ecosystem services (ES) in heterogeneous landscapes requires considering the potential trade-offs between conflicting objectives. The UNESCO's Biosphere Reserve zoning scheme is a suitable context to address these trade-offs by considering multiple management zones that aim to minimise conflicts between management objectives. Moreover, in Mediterranean ecosystems, management and planning also needs to consider drivers of landscape dynamics such as wildfires and traditional farming and forestry practices that have historically shaped landscapes and the biodiversity they host. In this study, we applied a conservation planning approach to prioritise the allocation of management zones under future landscape and climate scenarios. We tested different landscape management scenarios reflecting the outcomes of climate-smart and fire-smart policies. We projected the expected landscape dynamics and associated changes on the distribution of 207 vertebrate species, 4 ES and fire hazard under each scenario. We used Marxan with Zones to allocate three management zones, replicating the Biosphere Reserves zoning scheme (“Core area”, “Buffer zone” and “Transition area”) to address the various management objectives within the Biosphere Reserve. Our results show that to promote ES supply and biodiversity conservation, while also minimising fire hazard, the reserve will need to: i) Redefine its zoning, especially regarding Core Areas, which need a considerable expansion to help mitigate changes in biodiversity and accommodate ES supply under expected changes in climate and species distribution. ii) Revisit current management policies that will result in encroached landscapes prone to high intensity, uncontrollable wildfires with the potential to heavily damage ecosystems and compromise the supply of ES. Our results support that both climate- and fire-smart policies in the Meseta Ibérica can help develop multifunctional landscapes that help mitigate and adapt to climate change and ensure the best possible maintenance of biodiversity and ES supply under uncertain future climate conditions.