The colourful carotenoid pigments are known as biological active compounds that have beneficial effects on the metabolism of animals and humans. Carotenoids provide protection against several stressors, including UV radiation, reactive oxygen species free radicals, important roles in vision, act precursors transcription regulators immune system. Studies human nutrition point to relevance consuming functional foods instead supplementing diet with desired nutrients. This stresses importance...

Summary 1. The value of algal fatty acids (FA) as diet biomarkers for benthic harpacticoid copepods was investigated. A high proportion 18:1 ω 9 and 18:2 6 FA observed in the lipid reserve fraction fed with cyanobacteria. In contrast, a 16:1 7 3 (including eicosapentaenoic) present grown on diatoms. 2. Copepods that were cyanobacteria showed reduced survival took 26% more time to develop from first copepodid stage adult than feeding content when compared animals This reduction pronounced...

High irradiation and the presence of xenobiotics favor formation reactive oxygen species in marine environments. Organisms have developed antioxidant defenses, including accumulation carotenoids that must be obtained from diet. Astaxanthin is main carotenoid crustaceans where, among other functions, it scavenges free radicals thus protecting cell compounds against oxidation. Four diets with different composition were used to culture meiobenthic copepod Amphiascoides atopus assess how its...

Temporary Mediterranean ponds are complex ecosystems which support a high diversity of organisms that include heterotrophic microorganisms, algae, crustaceans, amphibians and higher plants, have the potential to supply food resting place migratory birds. The role heterotrophs at base web in providing energy trophic levels was studied temporary Central Southern Portugal. relative quantification hetero autotrophic biomass each pond derived from polar fatty acid (PLFA) composition seston...

Thyroid cancer cells demonstrate an increase in oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant action, but the effects of this increased on cell function remain unknown. We aimed to identify changes metabolism thyroid caused by stress, using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy. Samples healthy tissue were collected from patients undergoing thyroidectomy analyzed with 1H-NMR spectroscopy for a wide array metabolites. found significant lactate content compared tissue....

The zooplankton communities of 5 temporary ponds in the Northern part Natural Park Southwest and Vicentina Coast (PNCSV), Southwestern Portugal, were studied during two consecutive years contrasting rainfall. A total ten cladoceran species eleven copepod (3 diaptomids, cyclopoids 3 harpacticoids) recorded. community structure varied along hydrological period ponds. Some restricted to early pond (Diaptomus kenitraensis, Hemidiaptomus roubaui, Daphnia hispanica) while others started build...

Money is usually considered a source of infections, yet survival bacteria on dry metal surfaces limited. The aim this work was to assess the bacterial numbers and diversity coins collected in Casablanca Lisbon as these two cities, different continents only 585 km apart, have diverse cultural habitats, but similar climate. A cultivation-based characterisation community showed that relatively low number cells per area coin were found both Moroccan Dirhams Euros (0.014 0.125 colony-forming...

1. Seasonal field data showed a positive correlation between the tail spine length of Daphnia hyalina × galeata and density copepod Acanthocyclops robustus . Laboratory experiments were designed to assess mechanisms underlying induction elongation test whether this morphology reduced predation on juveniles. 2. Both elongated morph control produced progeny with when exposed copepods. Instar increments, calculated from individual body length, that growth decreased in presence This decrease was...

Abstract Three decades after the launch of sustainable development as a key objective for global community, unsustainable exploitation planet's species, spaces and systems continues. This paper examines this failure by discussing strategy control over nature, idea balance between human endeavour inherent in term sustainable. The relevance such ecological is assessed comparing how consumption typically appears modern societies versus nature. presents traits actor which depart significantly...

This paper reviews the benefits of Mediterranean diet and methods developed for food processing preservation during time ancient empires. In Antiquity, trees herbs were harvested culinary medicinal purposes, from everyday handling products keen observation, a great body wisdom was derived by philosophers physicians. With modern day techniques, suspected properties compounds have been investigated beneficial tested. From these studies it is apparent that olive oil, herbs, essential oils...

The female reproductive cycles of the calanoid copepod Copidodiaptomus numidicus and cyclopoid Acanthocyclops robustus were characterized by periodic changes in oviducts.Females oscillated between a gravid non-gravid condition, whole cycle was strongly dependent on temperature.In both species, maturation new oocytes took place when old egg sacs still being carried, thus ensuring rapid clutch succession.The embryonic postembryonic development duration C.numidicus A.robustus investigated at...

Ten reservoirs of the Tagus River Basin were studied during three years to assess their trophic state.Seasonal abundance zooplankton was followed.Species composition and food web structure analysed relate proportion certain species or groups o f reservoir state.Low concentration high water transparency values associated with ratio calanoids cyclopoids presence large Daphnia populations.High Acantlzocyclops robustus density populations Bosmina in most eutrophic reservoirs.

Meiofauna are potentially capable of controlling microphytobenthic biomass. Grazing by copepods in high densities has been hypothesized to lead successional changes algal assemblages toward less-edible species with consequent effects on copepod survival and growth. In our study, adult Attheyella trispinosa were offered monospecific films 3 benthic diatom 1 cyanobacterial consisting different combinations these species. Changes abundances observed over 17 d. Nauplii A. Bryocamptus minutus...

[The general absence of harpacticoid copepods in studies on biodiversity and ecology the freshwater meiofauna can be ascribed, part, to difficulties properly identifying these small animals. Here, we report occurrence nine species order Harpacticoida occurring Zezere River basin, central Portugal: 1 Phyllognathopus, Parastenocaris, 2 Elaphoidella, Attheyella, 3 Bryocamptus. Parastenocaris Phyllognathopus dwell psammon habitat also found thick biofilms covering hard substrates. All members...

(1998). Acanthocyclops robustus external morphology: How many morphs? SIL Proceedings, 1922-2010: Vol. 26, No. 4, pp. 1904-1912.

First record of the tadpole shrimp Triops cancriformis (Lamarck,1801) (Crustacea: Branchiopoda: Notostraca) in PortugalNotostracan crustaceans identified as according to presently accepted morphological criteria were recorded for first time Portugal 2007.All previous records belong mauritanicus lineage species i.e.T. vicentinus or T. baeticus.A specimen purportedly belonging (Carvalho, 1944) has been re-identified by Machado 2014 baeticus after examination.During 2007, hundreds individuals...