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Dr. José Maria Santos
Forest Research Centre, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon

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0 fish migration
0 fish ecology
0 habitat modelling
0 Ecohydraulics
0 River Restoration

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River Restoration
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Ecohydraulics

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Journal article
Published: 18 July 2021 in Biology
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Freshwater ecosystems are disproportionally important for biodiversity conservation, as they support more than 9% of known animal species while representing less than 1% of the Earth’s surface. However, the vast majority of the threats (99%, or 826 out of 837) identified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species known to affect the 434 known freshwater-dependent fish and lampreys of Europe are not supported by validated published scientific knowledge. This general lack of information about freshwater-dependent fish and lamprey species may have deleterious effects on species conservation, and additional funding is required to fill baseline knowledge gaps.

ACS Style

Paulo Branco; Pedro Segurado; Maria Costa; Afonso Teixeira; José Santos; Maria Ferreira; Gonçalo Duarte. Knowledge Gaps in the Definition of Threats for the Red List Assessment of European Freshwater-Dependent Fish Species. Biology 2021, 10, 680 .

AMA Style

Paulo Branco, Pedro Segurado, Maria Costa, Afonso Teixeira, José Santos, Maria Ferreira, Gonçalo Duarte. Knowledge Gaps in the Definition of Threats for the Red List Assessment of European Freshwater-Dependent Fish Species. Biology. 2021; 10 (7):680.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Paulo Branco; Pedro Segurado; Maria Costa; Afonso Teixeira; José Santos; Maria Ferreira; Gonçalo Duarte. 2021. "Knowledge Gaps in the Definition of Threats for the Red List Assessment of European Freshwater-Dependent Fish Species." Biology 10, no. 7: 680.

Journal article
Published: 11 March 2021 in Water
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Requalification of low-head ramped weirs through the addition of substrates (retrofitting) has attracted attention in recent years. However, few studies are available on how this measure affects the negotiation of ramped weirs by fish. This study aimed to assess the performance of an experimental ramped weir (3.00 m long with 10% slope; 0.30 m head-drop) to enhance the passage of a potamodromous cyprinid species, the Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei). Attention was given to testing the effects of the addition of a substrate, in this case cobbles, to the ramp (Nature) vs. a smooth bottom (Control), and discharge (Q; 55 L·s−1 and 110 L·s−1 (or specific discharge per unit width, q = 92 L·s−1·m−1 and 183 L·s−1·m−1)) on fish passage performance. Fish physiological responses to stress and fatigue, measured by glucose and lactate concentrations in blood samples, were also analysed. Results showed that the Nature design generally increased fish movements and successful upstream passages, and enhanced fish passage performance by enabling faster negotiations. Fish movements were also affected by increasing discharge, registering reductions with 110 L·s−1. Results of the physiological parameters indicate that both glucose and lactate concentrations were also influenced by discharge. The outcomes from this study present important information about fish passage performance across low-head ramped weirs and could provide data needed to help biologists and engineers to develop more effective structures to alleviate small instream obstacles.

ACS Style

Susana Amaral; Paulo Branco; Filipe Romão; Maria Ferreira; António Pinheiro; José Santos. Evaluation of Low-Head Ramped Weirs for a Potamodromous Cyprinid: Effects of Substrate Addition and Discharge on Fish Passage Performance, Stress and Fatigue. Water 2021, 13, 765 .

AMA Style

Susana Amaral, Paulo Branco, Filipe Romão, Maria Ferreira, António Pinheiro, José Santos. Evaluation of Low-Head Ramped Weirs for a Potamodromous Cyprinid: Effects of Substrate Addition and Discharge on Fish Passage Performance, Stress and Fatigue. Water. 2021; 13 (6):765.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Susana Amaral; Paulo Branco; Filipe Romão; Maria Ferreira; António Pinheiro; José Santos. 2021. "Evaluation of Low-Head Ramped Weirs for a Potamodromous Cyprinid: Effects of Substrate Addition and Discharge on Fish Passage Performance, Stress and Fatigue." Water 13, no. 6: 765.

Journal article
Published: 24 January 2021 in Water
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Pool-type fishways have been increasingly tested to improve fish passage performance and minimize migration delays. Designing cost-effective fishways is essential for a trade-off between water uses and successful longitudinal connectivity restoration. The multislot fishway (MSF) concept, which operates with 30–50% lower discharge than a vertical slot fishway (VSF), was recently developed. This study assessed and compared the entrance performance (entrance time; entry efficiency) and transit times of two cyprinids for VSFs and MSFs. Four configurations, with the same structural characteristics (slope; water depth; head drop; pool width and depth), operating with different discharges (Q), were tested (VSF 1: Q = 112 L·s−1; VSF 2: Q = 80 L·s−1; MSF 1: Q = 58 L·s−1; MSF 2: Q = 37 L·s−1). Hydrodynamics characterization was performed using a numerical model. Results showed that entry efficiency was higher in MSFs than in VSFs, while entrance time and transit time were overall lower. Numerical modelling revealed that velocities were around 30% lower in MSFs, and turbulence could reach a difference of around 70% in Reynolds shear stress and 50% in turbulent kinetic energy. Overall, MSFs can be considered as a cost-effective fishway solution that can balance the trade-offs between divergent interests in water uses.

ACS Style

Filipe Romão; Ana L. Quaresma; José M. Santos; Susana D. Amaral; Paulo Branco; António N. Pinheiro. Multislot Fishway Improves Entrance Performance and Fish Transit Time over Vertical Slots. Water 2021, 13, 275 .

AMA Style

Filipe Romão, Ana L. Quaresma, José M. Santos, Susana D. Amaral, Paulo Branco, António N. Pinheiro. Multislot Fishway Improves Entrance Performance and Fish Transit Time over Vertical Slots. Water. 2021; 13 (3):275.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Filipe Romão; Ana L. Quaresma; José M. Santos; Susana D. Amaral; Paulo Branco; António N. Pinheiro. 2021. "Multislot Fishway Improves Entrance Performance and Fish Transit Time over Vertical Slots." Water 13, no. 3: 275.

Journal article
Published: 15 June 2020 in Nature Ecology & Evolution
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Climate and land-use change drive a suite of stressors that shape ecosystems and interact to yield complex ecological responses (that is, additive, antagonistic and synergistic effects). We know little about the spatial scales relevant for the outcomes of such interactions and little about effect sizes. These knowledge gaps need to be filled to underpin future land management decisions or climate mitigation interventions for protecting and restoring freshwater ecosystems. This study combines data across scales from 33 mesocosm experiments with those from 14 river basins and 22 cross-basin studies in Europe, producing 174 combinations of paired-stressor effects on a biological response variable. Generalized linear models showed that only one of the two stressors had a significant effect in 39% of the analysed cases, 28% of the paired-stressor combinations resulted in additive effects and 33% resulted in interactive (antagonistic, synergistic, opposing or reversal) effects. For lakes, the frequencies of additive and interactive effects were similar for all spatial scales addressed, while for rivers these frequencies increased with scale. Nutrient enrichment was the overriding stressor for lakes, with effects generally exceeding those of secondary stressors. For rivers, the effects of nutrient enrichment were dependent on the specific stressor combination and biological response variable. These results vindicate the traditional focus of lake restoration and management on nutrient stress, while highlighting that river management requires more bespoke management solutions.

ACS Style

Sebastian Birk; Daniel Chapman; Laurence Carvalho; Bryan M. Spears; Hans Estrup Andersen; Christine Argillier; Stefan Auer; Annette Baattrup-Pedersen; Lindsay Banin; Meryem Beklioğlu; Elisabeth Bondar-Kunze; Angel Borja; Paulo Branco; Tuba Bucak; Anthonie D. Buijse; Ana Cristina Cardoso; Raoul-Marie Couture; Fabien Cremona; Dick De Zwart; Christian K. Feld; M. Teresa Ferreira; Heidrun Feuchtmayr; Mark O. Gessner; Alexander Gieswein; Lidija Globevnik; Daniel Graeber; Wolfram Graf; Cayetano Gutiérrez-Cánovas; Jenica Hanganu; Uğur Işkın; Marko Järvinen; Erik Jeppesen; Niina Kotamäki; Marijn Kuijper; Jan U. Lemm; Shenglan Lu; Anne Lyche Solheim; Ute Mischke; S. Jannicke Moe; Peeter Nõges; Tiina Nõges; Steve J. Ormerod; Yiannis Panagopoulos; Geoff Phillips; Leo Posthuma; Sarai Pouso; Christel Prudhomme; Katri Rankinen; Jes J. Rasmussen; Jessica Richardson; Alban Sagouis; José Maria Santos; Ralf B. Schäfer; Rafaela Schinegger; Stefan Schmutz; Susanne C. Schneider; Lisa Schülting; Pedro Segurado; Kostas Stefanidis; Bernd Sures; Stephen J. Thackeray; Jarno Turunen; María C. Uyarra; Markus Venohr; Peter Carsten Von Der Ohe; Nigel Willby; Daniel Hering. Impacts of multiple stressors on freshwater biota across spatial scales and ecosystems. Nature Ecology & Evolution 2020, 4, 1060 -1068.

AMA Style

Sebastian Birk, Daniel Chapman, Laurence Carvalho, Bryan M. Spears, Hans Estrup Andersen, Christine Argillier, Stefan Auer, Annette Baattrup-Pedersen, Lindsay Banin, Meryem Beklioğlu, Elisabeth Bondar-Kunze, Angel Borja, Paulo Branco, Tuba Bucak, Anthonie D. Buijse, Ana Cristina Cardoso, Raoul-Marie Couture, Fabien Cremona, Dick De Zwart, Christian K. Feld, M. Teresa Ferreira, Heidrun Feuchtmayr, Mark O. Gessner, Alexander Gieswein, Lidija Globevnik, Daniel Graeber, Wolfram Graf, Cayetano Gutiérrez-Cánovas, Jenica Hanganu, Uğur Işkın, Marko Järvinen, Erik Jeppesen, Niina Kotamäki, Marijn Kuijper, Jan U. Lemm, Shenglan Lu, Anne Lyche Solheim, Ute Mischke, S. Jannicke Moe, Peeter Nõges, Tiina Nõges, Steve J. Ormerod, Yiannis Panagopoulos, Geoff Phillips, Leo Posthuma, Sarai Pouso, Christel Prudhomme, Katri Rankinen, Jes J. Rasmussen, Jessica Richardson, Alban Sagouis, José Maria Santos, Ralf B. Schäfer, Rafaela Schinegger, Stefan Schmutz, Susanne C. Schneider, Lisa Schülting, Pedro Segurado, Kostas Stefanidis, Bernd Sures, Stephen J. Thackeray, Jarno Turunen, María C. Uyarra, Markus Venohr, Peter Carsten Von Der Ohe, Nigel Willby, Daniel Hering. Impacts of multiple stressors on freshwater biota across spatial scales and ecosystems. Nature Ecology & Evolution. 2020; 4 (8):1060-1068.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sebastian Birk; Daniel Chapman; Laurence Carvalho; Bryan M. Spears; Hans Estrup Andersen; Christine Argillier; Stefan Auer; Annette Baattrup-Pedersen; Lindsay Banin; Meryem Beklioğlu; Elisabeth Bondar-Kunze; Angel Borja; Paulo Branco; Tuba Bucak; Anthonie D. Buijse; Ana Cristina Cardoso; Raoul-Marie Couture; Fabien Cremona; Dick De Zwart; Christian K. Feld; M. Teresa Ferreira; Heidrun Feuchtmayr; Mark O. Gessner; Alexander Gieswein; Lidija Globevnik; Daniel Graeber; Wolfram Graf; Cayetano Gutiérrez-Cánovas; Jenica Hanganu; Uğur Işkın; Marko Järvinen; Erik Jeppesen; Niina Kotamäki; Marijn Kuijper; Jan U. Lemm; Shenglan Lu; Anne Lyche Solheim; Ute Mischke; S. Jannicke Moe; Peeter Nõges; Tiina Nõges; Steve J. Ormerod; Yiannis Panagopoulos; Geoff Phillips; Leo Posthuma; Sarai Pouso; Christel Prudhomme; Katri Rankinen; Jes J. Rasmussen; Jessica Richardson; Alban Sagouis; José Maria Santos; Ralf B. Schäfer; Rafaela Schinegger; Stefan Schmutz; Susanne C. Schneider; Lisa Schülting; Pedro Segurado; Kostas Stefanidis; Bernd Sures; Stephen J. Thackeray; Jarno Turunen; María C. Uyarra; Markus Venohr; Peter Carsten Von Der Ohe; Nigel Willby; Daniel Hering. 2020. "Impacts of multiple stressors on freshwater biota across spatial scales and ecosystems." Nature Ecology & Evolution 4, no. 8: 1060-1068.

Editorial
Published: 05 June 2020 in Water
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Freshwater ecosystems have been severely damaged worldwide by a multitude of human pressures, such as pollution, nutrient enrichment, damming or overexploitation, and this has been more intense over the past five decades. It is therefore important that the impacts of such stressors can be effectively detected, monitored and assessed in order to provide adequate legislative tools and to protect and restore freshwater ecosystems. The use of aquatic biota to detect, measure and track changes in the environment is often known as freshwater biomonitoring and is based on the premise that the presence or absence of biotic assemblages at a given site reflects its degree of environmental quality. For over a century, since the early pollution-oriented indicators, freshwater monitoring has been developing and testing progressively more complex indicator systems, and increasing the plethora of pressures addressed, using different biological groups, such as benthic macroinvertebrates, macrophytes, fish, phytoplankton and phytobenthos. There is an increasing demand for precision and accuracy in bioassessment. In this Special Issue, five high-quality papers were selected and are briefly presented herein, that cover a wide range of issues and spatial contexts relevant to freshwater biomonitoring.

ACS Style

José Maria Santos; Maria Teresa Ferreira. Use of Aquatic Biota to Detect Ecological Changes in Freshwater: Current Status and Future Directions. Water 2020, 12, 1611 .

AMA Style

José Maria Santos, Maria Teresa Ferreira. Use of Aquatic Biota to Detect Ecological Changes in Freshwater: Current Status and Future Directions. Water. 2020; 12 (6):1611.

Chicago/Turabian Style

José Maria Santos; Maria Teresa Ferreira. 2020. "Use of Aquatic Biota to Detect Ecological Changes in Freshwater: Current Status and Future Directions." Water 12, no. 6: 1611.

Journal article
Published: 21 April 2020 in Sustainability
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The Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei) is one of the most common cyprinids in the Iberian Peninsula, whose migratory routes are often hampered by anthropogenic barriers. Fishways might be an effective mitigation measure if they integrate designed operational characteristics that account for the biomechanical requirements of this species. Understanding the flow conditions inside the fishway, and how barbel responds to the hydrodynamics of the flow is imperative to improve free migratory routes with minimum energetic cost associated. Herein, we analyze and synthesize the main findings of research on pool-type fishways for upstream passage of the Iberian barbel and derive recommendations of design criteria for pool-type fishways for this species and others of similar biomechanics capacities. Ultimately, we identify research needs to improve upstream passage of this species.

ACS Style

Ana T. Silva; María Bermúdez; José M. Santos; Juan R. Rabuñal; Jerónimo Puertas. Pool-Type Fishway Design for a Potamodromous Cyprinid in the Iberian Peninsula: The Iberian Barbel—Synthesis and Future Directions. Sustainability 2020, 12, 3387 .

AMA Style

Ana T. Silva, María Bermúdez, José M. Santos, Juan R. Rabuñal, Jerónimo Puertas. Pool-Type Fishway Design for a Potamodromous Cyprinid in the Iberian Peninsula: The Iberian Barbel—Synthesis and Future Directions. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (8):3387.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ana T. Silva; María Bermúdez; José M. Santos; Juan R. Rabuñal; Jerónimo Puertas. 2020. "Pool-Type Fishway Design for a Potamodromous Cyprinid in the Iberian Peninsula: The Iberian Barbel—Synthesis and Future Directions." Sustainability 12, no. 8: 3387.

Journal article
Published: 24 December 2019 in Sustainability
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River fragmentation by large hydropower plants (LHP) has been recognized as a major threat for potamodromous fish. Fishways have thus been built to partially restore connectivity, with fish lifts representing the most cost-effective type at high head obstacles. This study assessed the effectiveness with which a fish lift in a LHP on the River Lima (Touvedo, Portugal), allows potamodromous fish—Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei), Northern straight-mouth nase (Pseudochondrostoma duriense) and brown trout (Salmo trutta fario)- to migrate upstream. Most fish (79.5%) used the lift between summer and early-fall. Water temperature was the most significant predictor of both cyprinids’ movements, whereas mean daily flow was more important for trout. Movements differed according to peak-flow magnitude: nase (67.8%) made broader use of the lift in the absence of turbined flow, whereas a relevant proportion of barbel (44.8%) and trout (44.2%) passed when the powerhouse was operating at half (50 m3s−1) and full-load (100 m3s−1), respectively. Size-selectivity found for barbel and trout could reflect electrofishing bias towards smaller sizes. The comparison of daily abundance patterns in the river with fish lift records allowed the assessment of the lift’s efficacy, although biological requirements of target species must be considered. Results are discussed in the context of management strategies, with recommendations for future studies.

ACS Style

Daniel Mameri; Rui Rivaes; João M. Oliveira; João Pádua; Maria T. Ferreira; José M. Santos. Passability of Potamodromous Species through a Fish Lift at a Large Hydropower Plant (Touvedo, Portugal). Sustainability 2019, 12, 172 .

AMA Style

Daniel Mameri, Rui Rivaes, João M. Oliveira, João Pádua, Maria T. Ferreira, José M. Santos. Passability of Potamodromous Species through a Fish Lift at a Large Hydropower Plant (Touvedo, Portugal). Sustainability. 2019; 12 (1):172.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Daniel Mameri; Rui Rivaes; João M. Oliveira; João Pádua; Maria T. Ferreira; José M. Santos. 2019. "Passability of Potamodromous Species through a Fish Lift at a Large Hydropower Plant (Touvedo, Portugal)." Sustainability 12, no. 1: 172.

Journal article
Published: 21 November 2019 in Water
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The addition of substrates to small instream obstacles, like low-head ramped weirs, has been considered a useful management solution to retrofit those structures and enhance fish passage. Substrate dimensions and spatial arrangement, together with discharge, and consequently water depths, appear as important factors for the creation of hydrodynamic conditions that may facilitate the successful passage of fish, though related studies are scarce to support decision-making. This study assessed the influence of discharge (Q) and different retrofitting designs (RD) on the upstream passage performance of a potamodromous cyprinid, the Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei). Different substrates (small boulders, large boulders, cobbles) and spatial arrangements (aligned, offset) were tested. Numerical modelling was performed to characterize the hydrodynamics. Results indicate that Q and RD influenced the upstream negotiation of ramped weirs. Cobbles randomly distributed along the ramp (Nature design) was the most successful configuration, recording the highest number of upstream passages. Low velocities along the ramp, and low turbulence downstream, were registered in this configuration, indicating that the use of natural substrate may help to increase the permeability of ramped weirs to fish movements. The outcomes from this work can help engineers and biologists to design more appropriate passage structures for low-head instream obstacles.

ACS Style

Susana D. Amaral; Ana L. Quaresma; Paulo Branco; Filipe Romão; Christos Katopodis; Maria T. Ferreira; António N. Pinheiro; José M. Santos. Assessment of Retrofitted Ramped Weirs to Improve Passage of Potamodromous Fish. Water 2019, 11, 2441 .

AMA Style

Susana D. Amaral, Ana L. Quaresma, Paulo Branco, Filipe Romão, Christos Katopodis, Maria T. Ferreira, António N. Pinheiro, José M. Santos. Assessment of Retrofitted Ramped Weirs to Improve Passage of Potamodromous Fish. Water. 2019; 11 (12):2441.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Susana D. Amaral; Ana L. Quaresma; Paulo Branco; Filipe Romão; Christos Katopodis; Maria T. Ferreira; António N. Pinheiro; José M. Santos. 2019. "Assessment of Retrofitted Ramped Weirs to Improve Passage of Potamodromous Fish." Water 11, no. 12: 2441.

Communication
Published: 27 March 2019 in Water
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Numerous anthropogenic stressors impact rivers worldwide. Hypoxia, resulting from organic waste releases and eutrophication, occurs very commonly in Mediterranean rivers. Nonetheless, little is known about the effects of deoxygenation on the behavior of Mediterranean freshwater fish. To fill this knowledge gap, we assessed the impact of three different dissolved oxygen levels (normoxia, 48.4%, 16.5% saturation) on kinematics indicators (swimming velocity, acceleration, distance traveled) and shoaling cohesion of adult Iberian barbel, Luciobarbus bocagei, a widespread cyprinid species inhabiting a broad range of lotic and lentic habitats. We conducted flume experiments and video-tracked individual swimming movements of shoals of five fish. Our results reveal significant differences between the treatments regarding kinematics. Swimming velocity, acceleration, and total distance traveled decreased stepwise from the control to each of the two oxygen depletion treatments, whereby the difference between the control and both depletion levels was significant, respectively, but not between the depletion levels themselves. Shoaling cohesion showed dissimilarities between the treatments regarding the maximum distance between fish, as the high depletion treatment differed from each of the other two, indicating that under severe oxygen depletion some individuals move away from the shoal. Overall, our results show how oxygen depletion changes fish behavior, which may entail ecological responses, highlighting the need to maintain an unfragmented river network to ensure movement dispersal among habitats, thus providing conditions for species escapement from hypoxia.

ACS Style

Daniel S. Hayes; Paulo Branco; José Maria Santos; Teresa Ferreira. Oxygen Depletion Affects Kinematics and Shoaling Cohesion of Cyprinid Fish. Water 2019, 11, 642 .

AMA Style

Daniel S. Hayes, Paulo Branco, José Maria Santos, Teresa Ferreira. Oxygen Depletion Affects Kinematics and Shoaling Cohesion of Cyprinid Fish. Water. 2019; 11 (4):642.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Daniel S. Hayes; Paulo Branco; José Maria Santos; Teresa Ferreira. 2019. "Oxygen Depletion Affects Kinematics and Shoaling Cohesion of Cyprinid Fish." Water 11, no. 4: 642.

Journal article
Published: 09 March 2019 in Sustainability
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Low-head ramped weirs are a common instream obstacle to fish movements. Fish passability of these structures, where water passes over but does not generate a waterfall, is primarily related to ramp length and slope, but their relative contribution has seldom been considered. This study aims to assess the passage performance of a potamodromous cyprinid, the Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei), negotiating an experimental ramped weir with varying ramp length (L) and slope (S). Four configurations were tested, with a constant discharge of 110 L∙s−1. Results suggest that both factors influenced passage performance of fish. Attraction efficiency (AE) increased with increasing L and S, whereas the number of successes (N) and passage efficiency (PE) decreased upon increasing L. For S, it was found that both N and PE peaked at the intermediate level (20%). These results suggest that configurations with the lowest slopes may not necessarily be the best option because they may be less attractive for the fish and their demand for space is higher. Higher slopes (but not excessive) could be more attractive to fish, less space-demanding, and therefore, more cost-effective. Future studies should investigate how discharge and boulder placement influence fish passage across ramped weirs, to improve habitat connectivity.

ACS Style

Susana Amaral; Paulo Branco; Christos Katopodis; Maria Ferreira; António Pinheiro; José Santos. Passage Performance of Potamodromous Cyprinids over an Experimental Low-Head Ramped Weir: The Effect of Ramp Length and Slope. Sustainability 2019, 11, 1456 .

AMA Style

Susana Amaral, Paulo Branco, Christos Katopodis, Maria Ferreira, António Pinheiro, José Santos. Passage Performance of Potamodromous Cyprinids over an Experimental Low-Head Ramped Weir: The Effect of Ramp Length and Slope. Sustainability. 2019; 11 (5):1456.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Susana Amaral; Paulo Branco; Christos Katopodis; Maria Ferreira; António Pinheiro; José Santos. 2019. "Passage Performance of Potamodromous Cyprinids over an Experimental Low-Head Ramped Weir: The Effect of Ramp Length and Slope." Sustainability 11, no. 5: 1456.

Journal article
Published: 08 February 2019 in Science of The Total Environment
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Wildfires are a common phenomenon in Mediterranean regions that is becoming increasingly frequent and severe, causing several environmental concerns, of which ash runoff represents an important source of disturbance for aquatic organisms, in particular for fishes. Studies on the behavioural response of fishes to wildfire ash runoff are scarce and seldom include cyprinid species. The goal of this study was to investigate in a 3-artificial flume channel mesocosm, the behavioural and hepatosomatic condition responses of a native widespread potamodromous fish, the Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei), previously exposed for 24 h to different concentrations of wildfire ashes: 0.0 g/L (the control, no ash), 1.0 g/L (low concentration) and 2.0 g/L (high concentration). Behavioural parameters included i) routine activity, ii) boldness and iii) shoaling cohesion. The hepatosomatic index (HSI) was further determined to assess the health condition of fish. Significant differences on fish behaviour parameters were detected between the control and the high concentration of ash. Accordingly, i) an increasing proportion of fish were found on resting activity (56.2% vs 30.6% in the control), whereas the proportion of fish on searching behaviour (58.4% in the control) decreased (41.5%); ii) the proportion of bolder individuals was found to decrease (42.5% in the control vs. 29.4%) and iii) the same trend was detected for shoaling cohesion (61.3% in the control to 33.8%, of all fish within a body length of each other). Such differences were paralleled by an increase in the HSI from 1.62% (control) to 2.40% (high concentration). The present study shows that even short duration exposure to ash-loaded runoff can alter fish behaviour and hepatosomatic condition and highlights the need to maintain an unfragmented river network, or, when this is not possible, to prioritize the removal or retrofitting of barriers to increase movement dispersal and provide conditions for species recovery from fire-disturbances.

ACS Style

Gabriel Gonino; Paulo Branco; Evanilde Benedito; Maria Teresa Ferreira; José M. Santos. Short-term effects of wildfire ash exposure on behaviour and hepatosomatic condition of a potamodromous cyprinid fish, the Iberian barbel Luciobarbus bocagei (Steindachner, 1864). Science of The Total Environment 2019, 665, 226 -234.

AMA Style

Gabriel Gonino, Paulo Branco, Evanilde Benedito, Maria Teresa Ferreira, José M. Santos. Short-term effects of wildfire ash exposure on behaviour and hepatosomatic condition of a potamodromous cyprinid fish, the Iberian barbel Luciobarbus bocagei (Steindachner, 1864). Science of The Total Environment. 2019; 665 ():226-234.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Gabriel Gonino; Paulo Branco; Evanilde Benedito; Maria Teresa Ferreira; José M. Santos. 2019. "Short-term effects of wildfire ash exposure on behaviour and hepatosomatic condition of a potamodromous cyprinid fish, the Iberian barbel Luciobarbus bocagei (Steindachner, 1864)." Science of The Total Environment 665, no. : 226-234.

Research article
Published: 01 January 2019 in Marine and Freshwater Research
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New engineering solutions are required to minimise the effects of an increasing number of anthropogenic barriers on watercourses. Longitudinal connectivity must be provided through fishways to allow free passage for the whole fish community. Recently, a multislot fishway (MSF) was developed, with two consecutive vertical slots that divide the overall head drop by two, thus reducing the flow velocity, the magnitude of turbulence and operational discharge compared with a standard vertical slot fishway (VSF) with similar pool and slot dimensions. The present study assessed the effectiveness of a MSF design for two cyprinid species with different ecological traits, under laboratory conditions, namely the Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei), a large-bodied potamodromous benthic fish, and the southern Iberian chub (Squalius pyrenaicus), a small-bodied water column fish. Experiments were conducted in a full-scale experimental fishway, in spring and autumn. Results showed differences in passage performance between seasons and species. During spring, chub had a higher entry efficiency and shorter transit time to fully negotiate the fishway, whereas no seasonal differences were found for the barbel. Overall, the MSF could be considered a cost-effective design for cyprinids with different ecological traits because it offers lower operational costs than a standard VSF. However, concerns about the entrance and attraction conditions should be addressed. In addition, because of the lower operational discharge, the propensity for obstruction with woody debris and sediments should not be disregarded.

ACS Style

Filipe Romão; Ana L. Quaresma; José Maria Santos; Paulo Branco; António Pinheiro. Cyprinid passage performance in an experimental multislot fishway across distinct seasons. Marine and Freshwater Research 2019, 70, 881 .

AMA Style

Filipe Romão, Ana L. Quaresma, José Maria Santos, Paulo Branco, António Pinheiro. Cyprinid passage performance in an experimental multislot fishway across distinct seasons. Marine and Freshwater Research. 2019; 70 (6):881.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Filipe Romão; Ana L. Quaresma; José Maria Santos; Paulo Branco; António Pinheiro. 2019. "Cyprinid passage performance in an experimental multislot fishway across distinct seasons." Marine and Freshwater Research 70, no. 6: 881.

Journal article
Published: 01 October 2018 in Science of The Total Environment
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River ecosystems are most often subject to multiple co-occurring anthropogenic stressors. Mediterranean streams are particularly affected by water scarcity and organic loads that commonly lead to a simultaneous reduction in flow and increasing depletion of dissolved oxygen. In the present study, the single and combined effects of water scarcity (flow velocity reduction) and dissolved oxygen depletion were used to evaluate alterations of drifting macroinvertebrates on a channel mesocosm system, by employing a multiple trait-based approach. Our main findings confirmed that the impact of the two combined stressors can be implicated in alterations of ecosystem functions as result of the changes in proportions of biological traits. Overall, our results showed that, individually, flow velocity reduction and a severe oxygen depletion promoted a shift in community traits. In more detail, biological traits describing the dispersal of organisms and their respiration showed the strongest responses. The respiration mode responded to low flow with drift increase of gill breathers and decrease of individuals with tegument, whereas dispersal was clearly affected by the combination of stressors. Resistance through eggs was higher with the single effect of flow reduction, while swimmers´ relative abundance increased in individuals that drift after exposure to the combination of stressors. Thus, while flow reduction alone is expected to specifically filter out the gill breathers and the egg producers, the combination of stressors will impact more drastically organism's dispersal and swimmers. Such changes in biological traits can result in variations in ecosystem functioning through, for example, local changes in biomass, secondary production, stream metabolism as well as resulting in biodiversity losses or alterations of its distribution patterns.

ACS Style

A.R. Calapez; Sónia Serra; J.M. Santos; P. Branco; T. Ferreira; T. Hein; A.G. Brito; Maria Feio. The effect of hypoxia and flow decrease in macroinvertebrate functional responses: A trait-based approach to multiple-stressors in mesocosms. Science of The Total Environment 2018, 637-638, 647 -656.

AMA Style

A.R. Calapez, Sónia Serra, J.M. Santos, P. Branco, T. Ferreira, T. Hein, A.G. Brito, Maria Feio. The effect of hypoxia and flow decrease in macroinvertebrate functional responses: A trait-based approach to multiple-stressors in mesocosms. Science of The Total Environment. 2018; 637-638 ():647-656.

Chicago/Turabian Style

A.R. Calapez; Sónia Serra; J.M. Santos; P. Branco; T. Ferreira; T. Hein; A.G. Brito; Maria Feio. 2018. "The effect of hypoxia and flow decrease in macroinvertebrate functional responses: A trait-based approach to multiple-stressors in mesocosms." Science of The Total Environment 637-638, no. : 647-656.

Journal article
Published: 19 September 2018 in Science of The Total Environment
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Stream salinization is a great environmental hazard being aggravated by anthropogenic disturbances. Harmful conditions, as increasing salinity in freshwater systems, may negatively affect river fish fauna and possibly influence fish behaviour, such as boldness and/or cerebral lateralization. Salinity has been proven to affect behavioural expression, despite the tolerance of some species. It is thus relevant to study these behaviours, as the salinity exposure effects could represent greater environmental consequences. The impact of salinity stress was evaluated by exposing Iberian barbels, Luciobarbus bocagei (Steindachner, 1864) (Cypriniformes, Cyprinidae), to three levels of salinity (0.9, 9 and 19 mS/cm, using NaCl) and by conducting boldness and lateralization experiments, regarding population trends. Results show that, with increased salinity, fish diverged to the extremes of the shy-bold gradient, the population was slightly lateralized to the left, and seemed to become more lateralized with increasing salinity. However, there were no statistical differences between the treatments. Fish living in a Mediterranean climate are especially resilient to various stressors, which may confer them additional tolerance, and in this case, acute punctual exposure to increased salinity may not be detrimental for behaviour maintenance. We encourage the expansion of the research to different freshwater fish species that would help to recognise salinity thresholds and use them to implement effective conservation measures and appropriate ecological restoration actions for these sensible systems.

ACS Style

Tamara Leite; José Maria Santos; Maria Teresa Ferreira; Cristina Canhoto; Paulo Branco. Does short-term salinization of freshwater alter the behaviour of the Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei, Steindachner 1864)? Science of The Total Environment 2018, 651, 648 -655.

AMA Style

Tamara Leite, José Maria Santos, Maria Teresa Ferreira, Cristina Canhoto, Paulo Branco. Does short-term salinization of freshwater alter the behaviour of the Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei, Steindachner 1864)? Science of The Total Environment. 2018; 651 ():648-655.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Tamara Leite; José Maria Santos; Maria Teresa Ferreira; Cristina Canhoto; Paulo Branco. 2018. "Does short-term salinization of freshwater alter the behaviour of the Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei, Steindachner 1864)?" Science of The Total Environment 651, no. : 648-655.

Journal article
Published: 30 June 2018 in Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria
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ACS Style

Carla Sousa-Santos; Ana Pereira; Paulo Branco; Gonçalo Costa; José Maria Santos; Maria Ferreira; Cristina Lima; Ignacio Doadrio; Joana Robalo. Mito-nuclear sequencing is paramount to correctly identify sympatric hybridizing fishes. Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria 2018, 48, 123 -141.

AMA Style

Carla Sousa-Santos, Ana Pereira, Paulo Branco, Gonçalo Costa, José Maria Santos, Maria Ferreira, Cristina Lima, Ignacio Doadrio, Joana Robalo. Mito-nuclear sequencing is paramount to correctly identify sympatric hybridizing fishes. Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria. 2018; 48 (2):123-141.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Carla Sousa-Santos; Ana Pereira; Paulo Branco; Gonçalo Costa; José Maria Santos; Maria Ferreira; Cristina Lima; Ignacio Doadrio; Joana Robalo. 2018. "Mito-nuclear sequencing is paramount to correctly identify sympatric hybridizing fishes." Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria 48, no. 2: 123-141.

Journal article
Published: 28 March 2018 in Water
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Most fishway studies are conducted during the reproductive period, yet uncertainty remains on whether results may be biased if the same studies were performed outside of the migration season. The present study assessed fish passage performance of a potamodromous cyprinid, the Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei), in an experimental full-scale vertical slot fishway during spring (reproductive season) and early-autumn (non-reproductive season). Results revealed that no significant differences were detected on passage performance metrics, except for entry efficiency. However, differences between seasons were noted in the plasma lactate concentration (higher in early-autumn), used as a proxy for muscular fatigue after the fishway navigation. This suggests that, for potamodromous cyprinids, the evaluation of passage performance in fishways does not need to be restricted to the reproductive season and can be extended to early-autumn, when movements associated with shifts in home range may occur. The increased effort during the non-reproductive period suggests that adapting the operational regime of fishways, at biologically meaningful seasons in a year, should be assessed by considering the physiological state of the target species.

ACS Style

Filipe Romão; José M. Santos; Christos Katopodis; António N. Pinheiro; Paulo Branco. How Does Season Affect Passage Performance and Fatigue of Potamodromous Cyprinids? An Experimental Approach in a Vertical Slot Fishway. Water 2018, 10, 395 .

AMA Style

Filipe Romão, José M. Santos, Christos Katopodis, António N. Pinheiro, Paulo Branco. How Does Season Affect Passage Performance and Fatigue of Potamodromous Cyprinids? An Experimental Approach in a Vertical Slot Fishway. Water. 2018; 10 (4):395.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Filipe Romão; José M. Santos; Christos Katopodis; António N. Pinheiro; Paulo Branco. 2018. "How Does Season Affect Passage Performance and Fatigue of Potamodromous Cyprinids? An Experimental Approach in a Vertical Slot Fishway." Water 10, no. 4: 395.

Research article
Published: 01 January 2018 in Marine and Freshwater Research
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Contrary to the vast literature on dams, much less is known about the effects of small weirs on fish movements. This study aims to evaluate the upstream and downstream passage of the Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei), when facing a small broad-crested experimental weir with varying widths of the weir crest (W) and discharges (Q). Nine configurations (W×Q) were tested. Fish were released downstream of the weir and upstream and downstream passages were monitored. Hydrodynamics were characterised with a flow probe and a three-dimensional acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV). Fish negotiated all configurations, registering a total of 273 upstream passages and 192 downstream passages. The number of fish that approached, attempted and successfully ascended and descended the weir varied among configurations, emphasising the complex influence of factors on passage performance. Discharge was preponderant on both passages, proving that fish movements may be hampered by increasing discharges. However, the width of the weir crest only significantly influenced downstream passages, showing that strong velocity gradients experienced on narrower widths of the weir crest may discourage downstream movements. Results from the present study are expected to be useful to identify potential migration obstacles and may be applicable to other cyprinid species.

ACS Style

Susana D. Amaral; Paulo Branco; Filipe Romão; Teresa Viseu; Maria T. Ferreira; António N. Pinheiro; José M. Santos. The effect of weir crest width and discharge on passage performance of a potamodromous cyprinid. Marine and Freshwater Research 2018, 69, 1795 .

AMA Style

Susana D. Amaral, Paulo Branco, Filipe Romão, Teresa Viseu, Maria T. Ferreira, António N. Pinheiro, José M. Santos. The effect of weir crest width and discharge on passage performance of a potamodromous cyprinid. Marine and Freshwater Research. 2018; 69 (12):1795.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Susana D. Amaral; Paulo Branco; Filipe Romão; Teresa Viseu; Maria T. Ferreira; António N. Pinheiro; José M. Santos. 2018. "The effect of weir crest width and discharge on passage performance of a potamodromous cyprinid." Marine and Freshwater Research 69, no. 12: 1795.

Journal article
Published: 01 December 2017 in Science of The Total Environment
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In Mediterranean rivers, water scarcity is a key stressor with direct and indirect effects on other stressors, such as water quality decline and inherent oxygen depletion associated with pollutants inputs. Yet, predicting the responses of macroinvertebrates to these stressors combination is quite challenging due to the reduced available information, especially if biotic and abiotic seasonal variations are taken under consideration. This study focused on the response of macroinvertebrates by drift to single and combined effects of water scarcity and dissolved oxygen (DO) depletion over two seasons (winter and spring). A factorial design of two flow velocity levels - regular and low (vL) - with three levels of oxygen depletion - normoxia, medium depletion (dM) and higher depletion (dH) - was carried out in a 5-artificial channels system, in short-term experiments. Results showed that both stressors individually and together had a significant effect on macroinvertebrate drift ratio for both seasons. Single stressor effects showed that macroinvertebrate drift decreased with flow velocity reduction and increased with DO depletion, in both winter and spring experiments. Despite single stressors opposing effects in drift ratio, combined stressors interaction (vL×dM and vL×dH) induced a positive synergistic drift effect for both seasons, but only in winter the drift ratio was different between the levels of DO depletion. Stressors interaction in winter seemed to intensify drift response when reached lower oxygen saturation. Also, drift patterns were different between seasons for all treatments, which may depend on individual's life stage and seasonal behaviour. Water scarcity seems to exacerbate the oxygen depletion conditions resulting into a greater drifting of invertebrates. The potential effects of oxygen depletion should be evaluated when addressing the impacts of water scarcity on river ecosystems, since flow reductions will likely contribute to a higher oxygen deficit, particularly in Mediterranean rivers.

ACS Style

Ana R. Calapez; Paulo Branco; José Maria Santos; Teresa Ferreira; Thomas Hein; Antonio Guerreiro de Brito; Maria João Feio. Macroinvertebrate short-term responses to flow variation and oxygen depletion: A mesocosm approach. Science of The Total Environment 2017, 599-600, 1202 -1212.

AMA Style

Ana R. Calapez, Paulo Branco, José Maria Santos, Teresa Ferreira, Thomas Hein, Antonio Guerreiro de Brito, Maria João Feio. Macroinvertebrate short-term responses to flow variation and oxygen depletion: A mesocosm approach. Science of The Total Environment. 2017; 599-600 ():1202-1212.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ana R. Calapez; Paulo Branco; José Maria Santos; Teresa Ferreira; Thomas Hein; Antonio Guerreiro de Brito; Maria João Feio. 2017. "Macroinvertebrate short-term responses to flow variation and oxygen depletion: A mesocosm approach." Science of The Total Environment 599-600, no. : 1202-1212.

Journal article
Published: 22 November 2017 in Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
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Environmental flows remain biased toward the traditional biological group of fish species. Consequently, these flows ignore the inter-annual flow variability that rules species with longer lifecycles and therefore disregard the long-term perspective of the riverine ecosystem. We analyzed the importance of considering riparian requirements for the long-term efficiency of environmental flows. For that analysis, we modeled the riparian vegetation development for a decade facing different environmental flows in two case studies. Next, we assessed the corresponding fish habitat availability of three common fish species in each of the resulting riparian landscape scenarios. Modeling results demonstrated that the environmental flows disregarding riparian vegetation requirements promoted riparian degradation, particularly vegetation encroachment. Such circumstance altered the hydraulic characteristics of the river channel where flow depths and velocities underwent local changes of up to 10 cm and 40 cm s−1, respectively. Accordingly, after a decade of this flow regime, the available habitat area for the considered fish species experienced modifications of up to 110 % when compared to the natural habitat. In turn, environmental flows regarding riparian vegetation requirements were able to maintain riparian vegetation near natural standards, thereby preserving the hydraulic characteristics of the river channel and sustaining the fish habitat close to the natural condition. As a result, fish habitat availability never changed more than 17 % from the natural habitat.

ACS Style

Rui Rivaes; Isabel Boavida; José M. Santos; António N. Pinheiro; Teresa Ferreira. Importance of considering riparian vegetation requirements for the long-term efficiency of environmental flows in aquatic microhabitats. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 2017, 21, 5763 -5780.

AMA Style

Rui Rivaes, Isabel Boavida, José M. Santos, António N. Pinheiro, Teresa Ferreira. Importance of considering riparian vegetation requirements for the long-term efficiency of environmental flows in aquatic microhabitats. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences. 2017; 21 (11):5763-5780.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rui Rivaes; Isabel Boavida; José M. Santos; António N. Pinheiro; Teresa Ferreira. 2017. "Importance of considering riparian vegetation requirements for the long-term efficiency of environmental flows in aquatic microhabitats." Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 21, no. 11: 5763-5780.

Article
Published: 17 November 2017 in River Research and Applications
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Physical stressors, such as man-made obstacles, are considered one of the main causes that negatively affect freshwater fish. Even small weirs may impact fish populations, including potamodromous cyprinids, by partially or totally blocking upstream migratory movements. Some studies have addressed the effect of key hydraulic parameters on upstream movements past small weirs, but little is known on how these parameters interact to induce swimming or jumping behaviour in negotiating such obstacles. This study aims to evaluate the passage behaviour (swimming vs. jumping) of Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei), a potamodromous species, over an experimental small broad-crested weir, considering the effect of different plunge pool depths (D), waterfall heights (H), and weir discharges (Q). Results revealed that passage behaviour was highly dependent on combinations of plunge pool depths and waterfall heights. Barbel navigated most configurations by swimming (overall outcomes: 81.5% swimming vs. 18.5% jumping), except the ones with the higher waterfall heights (25 cm) tested. Therefore, higher waterfalls proved to be preponderant in the switching of passage behaviour from swimming to jumping. Regarding the discharge over the 1-m-wide weir (overall outcomes: 85% swimming vs. 15% jumping), contrary to what was expected, there was no evidence that passage behaviour was discharge-related, for the range of discharges tested (25–100 L/s). These results are useful to identify potential migration obstacles and should be taken into consideration in river restoration projects and when designing fishways for potamodromous cyprinids.

ACS Style

S.D. Amaral; P. Branco; C. Katopodis; M.T. Ferreira; A.N. Pinheiro; J.M. Santos. To swim or to jump? Passage behaviour of a potamodromous cyprinid over an experimental broad-crested weir. River Research and Applications 2017, 34, 174 -182.

AMA Style

S.D. Amaral, P. Branco, C. Katopodis, M.T. Ferreira, A.N. Pinheiro, J.M. Santos. To swim or to jump? Passage behaviour of a potamodromous cyprinid over an experimental broad-crested weir. River Research and Applications. 2017; 34 (2):174-182.

Chicago/Turabian Style

S.D. Amaral; P. Branco; C. Katopodis; M.T. Ferreira; A.N. Pinheiro; J.M. Santos. 2017. "To swim or to jump? Passage behaviour of a potamodromous cyprinid over an experimental broad-crested weir." River Research and Applications 34, no. 2: 174-182.