Ana Sofia Vaz

Mrs. Ana Sofia Vaz

CIBIO-INBIO, Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO - Research Network in Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Associate Laboratory, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

14Years (2013-Present)

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

Representative Publications

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1 January 2019 in Journal of Environmental Management
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
RSRoss T. Shackleton
Ross T. Shackleton
DRDavid M. Richardson
David M. Richardson
Charlie ShackletonCharlie Shackleton
Charlie Shackleton
BBBrett Bennett
Brett Bennett
SCSarah L. Crowley
Sarah L. Crowley
BLBrendon M.H. Larson
Brendon M.H. Larson
Human perceptions of nature and the environment are increasingly being recognised as important for environmental management and conservation. Understanding people's perceptions is crucial for understanding behaviour and developing effective management strategies to maintain, preserve and improve biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being. As an interdisciplinary team, we produced a synthesis of the key factors that influence people's perceptions of invasive alien species, and ordered them in a conceptual framework. In a context of considerable complexity and variation across time and space, we identified six broad-scale dimensions: (1) attributes of the individual perceiving the invasive alien species; (2) characteristics of the invasive alien species itself; (3) effects of the invasion (including negative and positive impacts, i.e. benefits and costs); (4) socio-cultural context; (5) landscape context; and (6) institutional and policy context. A number of underlying and facilitating aspects for each of these six overarching dimensions are also identified and discussed. Synthesising and understanding the main factors that influence people's perceptions is useful to guide future research, to facilitate dialogue and negotiation between actors, and to aid management and policy formulation and governance of invasive alien species. This can help to circumvent and mitigate conflicts, support prioritisation plans, improve stakeholder engagement platforms, and implement control measures.

11 April 2019 in Biological Reviews
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
PCPilar Castro-Díez
Pilar Castro-Díez
AVAna Sofia Vaz
Ana Sofia Vaz
Joaquim S. SilvaJoaquim S. Silva
Joaquim S. Silva
MLMarcela van Loo
Marcela van Loo
ÁAÁlvaro Alonso
Álvaro Alonso
OGOscar Godoy
Oscar Godoy
Non‐native tree (NNT) species have been transported worldwide to create or enhance services that are fundamental for human well‐being, such as timber provision, erosion control or ornamental value; yet NNTs can also produce undesired effects, such as fire proneness or pollen allergenicity. Despite the variety of effects that NNTs have on multiple ecosystem services, a global quantitative assessment of their costs and benefits is still lacking. Such information is critical for decision‐making, management and sustainable exploitation of NNTs. We present here a global assessment of NNT effects on the three main categories of ecosystem services, including regulating (RES), provisioning (PES) and cultural services (CES), and on an ecosystem disservice (EDS), i.e. pollen allergenicity. By searching the scientific literature, country forestry reports, and social media, we compiled a global data set of 1683 case studies from over 125 NNT species, covering 44 countries, all continents but Antarctica, and seven biomes. Using different meta‐analysis techniques, we found that, while NNTs increase most RES (e.g. climate regulation, soil erosion control, fertility and formation), they decrease PES (e.g. NNTs contribute less than native trees to global timber provision). Also, they have different effects on CES (e.g. increase aesthetic values but decrease scientific interest), and no effect on the EDS considered. NNT effects on each ecosystem (dis)service showed a strong context dependency, varying across NNT types, biomes and socio‐economic conditions. For instance, some RES are increased more by NNTs able to fix atmospheric nitrogen, and when the ecosystem is located in low‐latitude biomes; some CES are increased more by NNTs in less‐wealthy countries or in countries with higher gross domestic products. The effects of NNTs on several ecosystem (dis)services exhibited some synergies (e.g. among soil fertility, soil formation and climate regulation or between aesthetic values and pollen allergenicity), but also trade‐offs (e.g. between fire regulation and soil erosion control). Our analyses provide a quantitative understanding of the complex synergies, trade‐offs and context dependencies involved for the effects of NNTs that is essential for attaining a sustained provision of ecosystem services.

1 February 2017 in Ecosystem Services
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
AVAna Sofia Vaz
Ana Sofia Vaz
CKChristoph Kueffer
Christoph Kueffer
CKChristian Kull
Christian Kull
DRDavid M. Richardson
David M. Richardson
JVJoana Vicente
Joana Vicente
JHJoão Honrado
João Honrado

1 February 2017 in AMBIO
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
PDF file
AVAna Sofia Vaz
Ana Sofia Vaz
CKChristoph Kueffer
Christoph Kueffer
CKChristian Kull
Christian Kull
DRDavid M. Richardson
David M. Richardson
SSStefan Schindler
Stefan Schindler
JHJoão Honrado
João Honrado

1 November 2018 in Science of The Total Environment
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
AVAna Sofia Vaz
Ana Sofia Vaz
DADomingo Alcaraz-Segura
Domingo Alcaraz-Segura
JCJoão Carlos Campos
João Carlos Campos
JVJoana Vicente
Joana Vicente
JHJoão Honrado
João Honrado

1 August 2019 in Biodiversity and Conservation
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
PDF file
JRJoana Ribeiro
Joana Ribeiro
Luís ReinoLuís Reino
Luís Reino
SSStefan Schindler
Stefan Schindler
DSDiederik Strubbe
Diederik Strubbe
MVMiquel Vall-Llosera
Miquel Vall-Llosera
ANAna Nuno
Ana Nuno