Projects
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Our research projects are mainly funded by the European Union (EU), the Portuguese Science Foundation (FCT), and research contracts with various international and national entities.


European Union projects (as national coordinators):

  1. FP7-ENV-2008-1-226248, Arctic Tipping Points (ATP) - Mar. 2009-Feb. 2012, global PI: Paul Wassmann, Univ. Tromsø, Norway, co-PI at CCMAR: G. Pearson, E. Serrão (190 672 € for CCMAR).
  2. NEST-2005-Path-COM/043251, Ecological diversity and evolutionary networks (EDEN) - Jan 2007-Dec 2009, global PI: E. Hernandez, CSIC, Spain, co-PI at CCMAR: G. Pearson, E. Serrão (295 908 € for CCMAR)
  3. EU (LIFE 06 NAT/P/000192), Restoration and management of biodiversity in the marine Park Site Arrabida-Espichel (PTCON0010) - (BIOMARES). co-PI E. Serrão with K. Erzini, Jan 2007-Dec 2010 (1 145 548 € for CCMAR; co-financed in 1 000 000 € by the cement company SECIL)
  4. EVK3-CT-2000-00044. Monitoring and Management of European Seagrass Beds (M&MS). Feb 2001-Aug 2005. global PI: J. Borum, FBL, Denmark, PI at CCMAR: E. Serrão (330 000 € for Univ. Algarve)
  5. INCO- ERB IC18-CT98-0292. Prediction of the resilience and recovery of disturbed coastal communities in the tropics (PREDICT). Oct 1998-Apr 2002, global PI: C. Duarte, CSIC, Spain, PI at IMAR/CCMAR: E. Serrão (80 750 € for IMAR/CCMAR)

National projects funded by FCT coordinated by our team:

  1. EXCL/AAG-GLO/0661/2012. Extant or extinct tipping points - climate changes drive genetic diversity and dynamics of range edge populations as evolutionary hotspots (EXTANT) Jul 2013-May 2016, PI Ester Serrão (499.557 €)
  2. EXPL/BIA-EVF/2263/2013. Sex-biased evolution in multicellular brown algae (EVOSEXUAL), Mar2014-Feb2015, PI Fernando Cánovas (49.103€)
  3. EXPL/MAR-PRO/0933/2013. Cryptic species, connectivity and deep-sea biodiversity distribution (DEEPGEN), Jun2014-Apr2015, PI Sara Teixeira (49.800€)
  4. PTDC/MAR-EST/4331/2012. Using genome scans of DNA polymorphism to infer adaptive population divergence at different spatial scales in the seagrasses Zostera noltii and Z. marina across Europe, two marine foundation species (ZOSADAPT), Jul2013-Jun2015, PI Onno Diekmann (191.551€)
  5. PTDC/MAR/119363/2010. Sea cucumbers: the new resource for a hungry fishery (CUMFISH), Feb 2012-Jan 2015. PI Mercedes Wanguemert (163.728€)
  6. PTDC/MAR/110251/2009. Adaptive potential at range edges: testing relationships between fitness-related traits and population structure near ecophysiological limits (FUDGE), Apr 2011-Mar 2013. PI Katy Nicastro (181.752€)
  7. PTDC/MAR/115226/2009. Understanding temperate reef fish connectivity (MATRIX), Mar 2011-Feb 2014, PI Rita Borges (178.488 €)
  8. PTDC/AAC-CLI/109108/2008. Making edges meet: genetic signatures of climate-driven range shifts (EDGES) Jan 2010-Apr 2013, PI Ester Serrão (182.328 €)
  9. PTDC/MAR/108105/2008. Drivers of co-existence of sympatric species with incomplete reproductive isolation: testing roles of hybridization barriers in marine broadcast spawners (HYBRID), Jan 2010-Apr 2013. PI Gareth Pearson (198.240 €)
  10. PTDC/MAR/099887/2008, Landscape genetics of a coastal lagoon; an empirical and modelling approach using the seagrass Zostera noltii in the Ria Formosa (RIASCAPEGEN) Mar 2010-Feb 2013 PI Filipe Alberto (160.473 €)
  11. PTDC/MAR/108013/2008 The sexual and asexual balance of a marine clonal plant: the case of the seagrass Cymodocea nodosa in the Canary islands (CANARYGRASS) Mar 2010 - Feb 2013 PI Filipe Alberto (157.834 €)
  12. PTDC/MAR/099698/2008, Molecular taxonomy, population genetics and phylogenomics of the red algal genus Porphyra spp. from the Iberian peninsula (NORIGENOMICS) 4Apr 2010 -3Apr 2013 PI Elena Varela (199.810 €)
  13. PTDC/BIA-BEC/103916/2008, Adaptation in action: comparing invasive and native populations to understand processes influencing species boundaries. (PERMYT) 17Jan 2010 -16Jan 2013 PI Gerardo Zardi (141.370 €)
  14. PTDC/MAR/104477/2008, Polyandry levels in Fucus vesiculosus (POLYANDRY) Feb 2010 -Jan 2013. PI Sara Teixeira (185.410 €)
  15. PTDC/MAR/72630/2006, Environmental Genomics of Southern Ocean Phytoplankton Communities (SOPA), Nov 2008 -Oct 2011, PI Gareth Pearson (198.404 €)  
  16. POCI/MAR/57499/2004. Ecology and evolution of mating systems in fucoid algae (MATING) Jan 2006-Dec 2008, PI Ester Serrão (89 100 €)
  17. PDCTM/P/MAR/5292/1999.The Portuguese coast as a biogeographic boundary: consequences for reproductive success, local adaptation and genetic structure of populations living at their distributional limits (BIOPORT) Feb 2001-Jan 04, PI Ester Serrão (225 000 €)
  18. PTDC/MAR/65461/2006, Molecular ecology of the giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera (MEGIKELP), Oct 2008 -Sep 2011, PI Filipe Alberto (191.441 €)
  19. PTDC/MAR/70921/2006, Population genetic structure, molecular phylogeny and historical biogeography in species of the genus Caulerpa, present in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean (CAULERPA), Nov 2008-Oct 2011. PI Elena Varela (182.630 €)
  20. PTDC/MAR/64749/2006, The success of invasive species: exploring the joint role of biotic interactions and of founder effect in Caulerpa species (IBISA), Sep 2008-Aug 2011 PI Sophie Arnaud (187.140 €)
  21. POCI/MAR/61105/2004. Adaptive Population Divergence, and Comparative Population Structure in the Brown Algal Genus Fucus (ADAPT). Feb 2006 - Jan 2009, PI Gareth Pearson (86 400 €)
  22. POCI/MAR/60179/2004. Neutral and Non-Neutral Genes: Population Diversity and Stability (DIVSTAB). Feb 2006-Jan 2009. PI Sophie Arnaud (82 800 €)
  23. POCI/MAR/57342/2004.Genetic Networks and Evolution: from individuals to populations. Jul 2005-Jun 2007 (NETWORK). PI Sophie Arnaud (45 000 €)
  24. POCI/MAR/60044/2004. Genetic diversity and differentiation in the seagrass species Zostera noltii and Cymodocea nodosa across the Atlantic-Mediterranean divide (DIVIDE). Nov 2005-Oct 2008. PI Onno Diekmann (41 400 €)
  25. POCTI/BSE/48317/2002. The molecular basis for differential stress-tolerance in sympatric, ecologically similar algal species (STRESSREG), Apr 2004-Mar 2007, PI Gareth Pearson (105 491 €)
  26. POCTI / 38863 / BSE / 2001 - Chloroplast gene expression in intertidal macroalgae (CHLORGEN). Sept 2002-Aug 2005. PI: Gareth Pearson (61 632 €)
  27. POCTI/39431/BSE/2001. Signals for gamete release by intertidal species with external fertilization (GAMETE) Mar 2002-Feb 2005, PI Ester Serrão (45 000 €).
  28. POCTI/BSE/35045/99. Local adaptation and population genetic structure in intertidal algae (GENFUCUS) Dec 2001-Nov 2004, PI Ester Serrão (150 000 €)
  29. PNAT/1999/BIA/15003/C. Resilience and genetic diversity of seagrasses affected by anthropogenic perturbations in the Natural Park of Ria Formosa (SEAGRASSRIA) Apr 2001-Mar 2004, PI Ester Serrão (75 000 €)

As subcontractors:

  1. Dynamics of kelp forest biodiversity in northern and southern hemispheres: ecological, social and economic aspects (ECOKELP), Agence Nationale Recherche (ANR), France, Institut Français - Biodiversité, Jan 2007-Dec 2009, PI: M. Valero (30 000 € for CCMAR)
  2. Conservación y Gestión de Sebadales, Fundación Universitaria Las Palmas, ICCM - Instituto Canario de Ciencias Marinas, funded by "Gobierno de Canarias", Spain. 2006-2009, PI: Nieves González Henriquez (8500 € for CCMAR)

As partners (coordinated by other teams):

  1. MarinERA 189570. Marine phylogeographic structuring during climate change: the signature of leading and rear edge of range shifting populations (SHIFTING). 2008-2011, PI: Vítor Almada, ISPA (78 000 € for CCMAR)
  2. PTDC/BIA-BDE/68730/2006. Spatial structure of amphibian (meta)populations in Mediterranean farmland: implications for conservation management. Jan2008-Dec2010 (METAPOP). PI P.Beja, CIBIO (53 648 € for CCMAR)
  3. POCI/MAR/56149/2004. Population dynamics, geographical distribution and genetic diversity of macroalgal species at their southern distribution limits (LIMITS). Sept 2006-Aug 2009. PI Isabel Sousa Pinto (25020 € for CCMAR)
  4. POCI/MAR/55377/2004. The invasive theory of the pest seaweed Sargassum muticum in Southern Portugal (SARGASSUM). Jul 2006-Jun2009. PI Aschwin Engelen. (85 500 €)
  5. EU (EVK3-CT2001-00062). "Algal introductions to European shores" (ALIENS). Jan 2002-Dec 2005, coordinator: J. Rico, Un. Oviedo, Spain, (177 205 € for Univ. Algarve)
  6. PRAXIS/P/BIO/12203/1998. Molecular responses to water stress in highly salt- and desiccation-tolerant algae (ALGSTRESS). May2000-Apr2002, PI: L. Cancela (100 000 €).

As external collaborators:

  1. Conservation of marine meadows: causes of the regression and effects on ecosystem function: CSIC, Fundación BBVA, Spain. 2005-2008, PI: Carlos Duarte.
  2. Expansion de Caulerpa prolifera, C. taxifolia, C. racemosa en el Mediterráneo español: dinámica clonal, producción y destino de la producción. REN2002-00701, CSIC, Spanish Ministry of Education. 2003-2005, PI N. Marbá.
  3. EU-Q5RS-2001-02456 Effects of nutrient release from Mediterranean fish farms on benthic vegetation in coastal ecosystems (MedVeg), 2001-2004. PI:C. Duarte.
  4. ANR 06-BDIV-005-02-DEEPOASES, PI D.Desbruyères, IFREMER

Other:

  1. Core partner in: A return to the sea: the seagrass Zostera marina as a new semi-model for ecological and functional genomics (sequencing the full genome of Zostera marina), PI J.Olsen, Joint Genome Institute (JGI)-Community Sequencing Program (CSP2009).
  2. FINDKELP - Distribution, ecology and population genetics of Portuguese kelp forests (3200 €) AWARE Foundation (2008); (2500 €) BES-Biodiversidade, Banco Espírito Santo (2010); (35000 €) EDP - Fundo Biodiversidade (2011). PhD proj of Jorge Assis.
  3. DEEP REEFS - Mapping Biodiversity of Deep Marine Habitats (10032 €) National Geographic Society (2011); (14688 €) Fundo InAqua, Oceanário de Lisboa e National Geographic Channel (2010). PhD project of Joana Boavida.

Main partner in 3 Networks of Excellence:

  1. CORONA - Research Coordination Network, NSF, USA
  2. MARBEF (Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function), EU
  3. MGE (Marine Genomics Europe) - EU