Rita Tinoco Torres

Dr. Rita Tinoco Torres

CESAM & Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

16Years (2011-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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13 July 2020 in Mammal Review
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AVAna M. Valente
Ana M. Valente
PAPelayo Acevedo
Pelayo Acevedo
Ana M. FigueiredoAna M. Figueiredo
Ana M. Figueiredo
Carlos FonsecaCarlos Fonseca
Carlos Fonseca
RTRita Tinoco Torres
Rita Tinoco Torres

18 March 2024 in Nature Ecology & Evolution
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Journal Article
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ABA. Cole Burton
A. Cole Burton
CBChristopher Beirne
Christopher Beirne
KGKaitlyn M. Gaynor
Kaitlyn M. Gaynor
CSCatherine Sun
Catherine Sun
AGAlys Granados
Alys Granados
RKRoland Kays
Roland Kays
Wildlife must adapt to human presence to survive in the Anthropocene, so it is critical to understand species responses to humans in different contexts. We used camera trapping as a lens to view mammal responses to changes in human activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Across 163 species sampled in 102 projects around the world, changes in the amount and timing of animal activity varied widely. Under higher human activity, mammals were less active in undeveloped areas but unexpectedly more active in developed areas while exhibiting greater nocturnality. Carnivores were most sensitive, showing the strongest decreases in activity and greatest increases in nocturnality. Wildlife managers must consider how habituation and uneven sensitivity across species may cause fundamental differences in human–wildlife interactions along gradients of human influence.

1 May 2020 in Science of The Total Environment
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Journal Article
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RTRita Tinoco Torres
Rita Tinoco Torres
JFJoana Fernandes
Joana Fernandes
João P. F. CarvalhoJoão P. F. Carvalho
João P. F. Carvalho
MCMónica V. Cunha
Mónica V. Cunha
TCTania Caetano
Tania Caetano
CFCarlos Fonseca
Carlos Fonseca

1 December 2020 in One Health
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Journal Article
Open access
RTRita Tinoco Torres
Rita Tinoco Torres
João P. F. CarvalhoJoão P. F. Carvalho
João P. F. Carvalho
MCMónica V. Cunha
Mónica V. Cunha
ESEmmanuel Serrano
Emmanuel Serrano
Josman Dantas PalmeiraJosman Dantas Palmeira
Josman Dantas Palmeira
CFCarlos Fonseca
Carlos Fonseca
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a complex and global problem. Despite the growing literature on AMR in the medical and veterinary settings, there is still a lack of knowledge on the wildlife compartment. The main aim of this study was to report the global trends in AMR research in wildlife, through a bibliometric study of articles found in the Web of Science database. Search terms were “ANTIMICROBIAL” OR “ANTIBIOTIC” AND “RESISTANT” OR “RESISTANCE” and “WILDLIFE” “MAMMAL” “BIRD” “REPTILE” “FERAL” “FREE RANGE”. A total of 219 articles were obtained, published between 1979 and 2019. A rising interest in the last decades towards this topic becomes evident. During this period, the scientific literature was distributed among several scientific areas, however it became more multidisciplinary in the last years, focusing on the “One Health” paradigm. There was a geographical bias in the research outputs: most published documents were from the United States, followed by Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom. The most productive institutions in terms of publication number were located in Portugal and Spain. An important level of international collaboration was identified. An analysis of the main keywords showed an overall dominance of “AMR”, “E. coli”, “genes”, “prevalence”, “bacteria”, “Salmonella spp.” and “wild birds”. This is the first study providing a global overview of the spatial and temporal trends of research related to AMR in wildlife. Given the growth tendency over the last years, it is envisaged that scientific production will expand in the future. In addition to offering a broad view of the existing research trends, this study identifies research gaps both in terms of geographical incidence and in relation to unexplored subtopics. Unearthing scientific areas that should be explored in the future is key to designing new strategic research agendas in AMR research in wildlife and to inform funding programs.

1 June 2015 in PLOS ONE
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RTRita Tinoco Torres
Rita Tinoco Torres
NSNicole Silva
Nicole Silva
GBGonçalo Brotas
Gonçalo Brotas
Carlos FonsecaCarlos Fonseca
Carlos Fonseca
Livestock predation by large carnivores and their persecution by local communities are major conservation concerns. In order to prevent speculations and reduce conflicts, it is crucial to get detailed and accurate data on predators’ dietary ecology, which is particularly important in human dominated landscapes where livestock densities are high. This is the case of the endangered Iberian wolf in Portugal, an endemic subspecies of the Iberian Peninsula, which has seen its population distribution and abundance decline throughout the 20th century. Accordingly, the diet of the Iberian wolf was analyzed, using scat analysis, in a humanized landscape in central Portugal. From 2011 to 2014, a total of 295 wolf scats were collected from transects distributed throughout the study area, prospected on a monthly basis. Scat analysis indicated a high dependence of Iberian wolf on livestock. Domestic goat predominated the diet (62% of the scats), followed by cow (20%) and sheep (13%); the only wild ungulate present in the scat analysis was the wild boar (4% of the scats). Our results show that even though livestock constitute most part of wolves diet, different livestock species may represent different predation opportunities. We conclude that the high levels of livestock consumption may be a result of low diversity and density of wild ungulates that settles livestock as the only abundant prey for wolves. Our findings help on the understanding of the Iberian wolf feeding ecology and have implications for conflict management strategies. Finally, management implications are discussed and solutions are recommended.

1 September 2015 in Research in Microbiology
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Journal Article
Closed access
Diana DiasDiana Dias
Diana Dias
RTRita Tinoco Torres
Rita Tinoco Torres
GKGöran Kronvall
Göran Kronvall
Carlos FonsecaCarlos Fonseca
Carlos Fonseca
SMSónia Mendo
Sónia Mendo
TCTania Caetano
Tania Caetano