Cyanobacteria were amongst the first organisms colonising the sea about 3.5 billion years ago. They were the first to be able to transform the CO2 present in the atmosphere into O2 through the photosynthesis process which is common to all organisms possessing the Chlorophyll a pigment (such as terrestrial plants and trees). Therefore, Cyanobacteria transformed the CO2 and methane rich atmosphere into the oxygenated atmosphere that allowed evolution towards the human existence.
Nowadays, these photosynthetic microscopic organisms are still great contributors for the oxygen supply to the atmosphere and thus play an essential role in slowing down the increase of CO2 levels from Climate Change.
However, in spite of all the benefits arisen from Cyanobacteria to mankind (not only ecological but also with applications in biotechnology, pharmacology, medicine, etc.), some species may contain strains able to produce toxins that may put at risk the human health. This can be a problem when these toxic cyanobacteria multiply massively, leading to blooms forming green scums that are visible from space. In freshwaters, the effects of such blooms can be more severe due to the population dependence on the freshwater supply.
Therefore, it is very important the development of wide monitoring strategies for early warning of cyanobacterial blooms occurrence, particularly in freshwater bodies. However, this requires previous information on cyanobacterial dyanmics in order to detect and predict blooms. During my PhD and post-doc, I have studied several molecular and ecological aspects of Cyanobacteria.
Papers on Cyanobacterial Ecology
Silva C., Anselmo A., Macário I.P.E., de Figueiredo D., Gonçalves F.J.M., Pereira J.L. (2020) The bad against the villain: Suitability of Corbicula fluminea as a bioremediation agent towards cyanobacterial blooms. Ecological Engineering 152: 105881. WoS paper
Macário I.P.E., Castro B.B., Nunes M.I., Antunes S.C., Pizarro C., Coelho C., Gonçalves F. & de Figueiredo D.R. (2017) Stepwise strategy for monitoring toxic cyanobacterial blooms in lentic water bodies. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 189, 12, 620.
Macário I.P.E., Castro B.B., Nunes M.I., Antunes S.C., Pizarro C., Coelho C., Gonçalves F. & de Figueiredo D.R. (2015) New insights towards the establishment of phycocyanin concentration thresholds considering inter-specific variability of bloom-forming cyanobacteria. Hydrobiologia. 757, 1, 155-165.
de Figueiredo D.R., Gonçalves A.M.M., Castro B.B., Gonçalves F., Pereira M.J. & Correia A. (2011) Differential inter- and intra-specific responses of Aphanizomenon strains to nutrient limitation and algal growth inhibition. Journal of Plankton Research. 33, 10, 1606-1616.
Galhano V., de Figueiredo D., Alves A., Correia A., Pereira M.J., Gomes-Laranjo J. & Peixoto F. (2011) Morphological, biochemical and molecular characterization of Anabaena, Aphanizomenon and Nostoc strains (Cyanobacteria, Nostocales) isolated from Portuguese freshwater habitats. Hydrobiologia. 663, 1, 187-203.
de Figueiredo D.R., Alves A., Pereira M. J. & Correia A. (2010) Molecular characterization of bloom-forming Aphanizomenon strains isolated from Vela Lake (Western Central Portugal). Journal of Plankton Research 32: 239-252.
de Figueiredo D.R., Reboleira A.S., Antunes S.C., Abrantes N., Azeiteiro U.M., Gonçalves F.J.M. & Pereira M.J. (2006) The effect of environmental parameters and cyanobacterial blooms on phytoplankton dynamics of a Portuguese temperate lake. Hydrobiologia 568 (1): 145-157.
de Figueiredo D.R., Antunes S.C., Pereira M.J. & Gonçalves F. (2004) Chronic effects of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae on the survival and reproduction of daphnids. Fresenius Environmental Bulletin 7 (13): 665-670.L
de Figueiredo D.R., Azeiteiro U.M., Gonçalves F.J.M. & Pereira M.J. (2004) Aphanizomenon flos-aquae grown under different nutrient concentrations and the effects of its exudates on growth of two green algae. Fresenius Environmental Bulletin 7 (13): 657-664. L
de Figueiredo D.R., Azeiteiro U.M., Esteves S.M., Gonçalves F.J.M. & Pereira M.J. (2004) Microcystin producing blooms – a serious global public health issue. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 2 (59): 151-163.L
Communications on Cyanobacterial Ecology
Macário I.P.E., Castro B.B., Nunes M.I., Antunes S.C., Pizarro C., Coelho C., Gonçalves F. & de Figueiredo D.R. (2014) New insights for the establishment of phycocyanin concentration thresholds considering inter-specific variability from bloom-forming cyanobacteria. XVII Congress of the Iberian Association of Limnology. 6-11 July, Santander, Spain. Poster
Macário I.P.E., Castro B.B., Nunes M.I., Pizarro C., Coelho C., Gonçalves F. & de Figueiredo D.R. (2014) Stepwise strategy proposal for monitoring toxic cyanobacterial blooms: validation with field data from Portuguese water bodies. XVII Congress of the Iberian Association of Limnology. 6-11 July, Santander, Spain. Poster
Macário I.E., Nunes M.I., Gonçalves F., Castro B.B. & de Figueiredo D.R. (2013) Proposta de uma metodologia de monitorização faseada para deteção de blooms de cianobactérias. 10ª Conferência Nacional do Ambiente (10CNA). 6-8 November, Aveiro, Portugal. Oral communication
Macário I., Nunes M.I., Fonseca D., Gonçalves F., Castro B.B. & de Figueiredo D.R. (2013) Proposta de estratégia integrada para lidar com blooms de Cianobactérias. XX Jornadas Pedagógicas de Educação Ambiental – Aprender fora de portas: redes, recursos e potencialidades. 17-19 January, Leiria, Portugal. Poster
de Figueiredo D.R., Macário I., Nunes M.I., Correia A., Castro B.B. & Gonçalves F. (2013) A multilevel approach to monitor and help manage the development of cyanobacterial blooms in lakes and reservoirs. TWAM2013: Transboundary water management across borders and interfaces: present and future challenges. 20-25 March, Aveiro, Portugal. Poster
de Figueiredo D.R., Castro B.B., Correia A. & Gonçalves F. (2012) Strategy for monitoring cyanobacterial blooms using a stepwise approach based on sequential methodologies. XVI Congresso da Sociedade Ibérica de Limnologia. 2n-6 July, Guimarães, Portugal. Poster
de Figueiredo D.R., Castro B.B., Pereira M.J. & Correia A. (2011) Spatial bacterioplankton diversity at Vela Lake (Central Western Portugal) during cyanobacterial blooms and under severe drought conditions. Second IWA Symposium on Lake and Reservoir Management: Sustainable Strategies to Enhance Water Quality. 14t-17 July, Granada, Spain. Poster
de Figueiredo D.R., Alves A., Gonçalves A.M.M., Castro B.B., Gonçalves F., Pereira M.J. & Correia A. (2011) Inter- and intra-specific molecular and ecological variations among Aphanizomenon (Nostocales, Cyanobacteria) strains isolated from a eutrophic shallow lake. MICROBIOTEC’11. 1-3 December, Braga, Portugal. Poster
de Figueiredo D.R., Coelho C., Heitor A. , Osswald J., Vasconcelos V., Ramos I., Pereira M.J. & Correia A. (2009) Multilevel characterization of cyanobacterial summer blooms in three shallow lakes – proposal for a monitoring strategy. BAGECO09 – 10th International Symposium on Bacterial Genetics and Ecology. 15t-19 June, Uppsala, Sweden. Poster
de Figueiredo D.R., Pereira M.J. & Correia A. (2009) Molecular characterization and toxic potential of Microcystis strains isolated from Vela Lake (Portugal). CIC2009 – 1º Congresso Ibérico de Cianotoxinas. 6t-7 July, Porto, Portugal. Poster
Galhano V., de Figueiredo D.R., Correia A., Pereira M.J., Santos H., Gomes-Laranjo J.C. & Peixoto F.M. (2009) Polyphasic evaluation of potential toxic cyanobacterial strains from Portuguese shallow water bodies. CIC2009 – 1º Congresso Ibérico de Cianotoxinas. 6t-7 July, Porto, Portugal. Poster
de Figueiredo D.R., Galhano V.M., Gomes-Laranjo J.C., Peixoto F.M., Alves A., Pereira M.J. & Correia A. (2008) Molecular characterization of cyanobacterial diazotrophic strains from Portuguese shallow water bodies. 8th European Nitrogen Fixation Conference / 11th International Symposium on Nitrogen Fixation with Non-Legumes. 30th August – 4th September, Ghent, Belgium. Poster
Silva R.A., de Figueiredo D.R., Neves F.M., Pereira M.J. & Correia, A. (2008) Dominance of cyanobacteria during winter and spring 2008 at Vela Lake (Figueira da Foz, Portugal). 1º Encontro Português de Cianotoxinas. 7-8 July, Porto, Portugal. Oral communication
de Figueiredo D.R., Pereira M.J. & Correia A. (2008) Cyanobacterial dominance in reservoirs from Alentejo region (Portugal) during an atypically dry summer – an overview of the future? 7th Iberian and 4th Iberoamerican Congress of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. 10t-12 March, Lisbon, Portugal. Oral communication
de Figueiredo D.R., Silva R.A., Pereira M.J. & Correia A. (2008) Seasonal diversity of cyanobacterial diazotrophs community in Portuguese shallow lakes using culture-independent methodologies. 8th European Nitrogen Fixation Conference / 11th International Symposium on Nitrogen Fixation with Non-Legumes. 30th August to 4th September, Ghent, Belgium. Poster
de Figueiredo D.R., Gonçalves A.M.M., Alves A., Gonçalves F., Pereira M.J. & Correia A. (2007) Multilevel characterization of cyanobacterial strains for a further understanding on their ecology and bloom development. VI Simpósio de Pós-Graduação do Departamento de Biologia da Universidade de Aveiro. 3-4 May, Aveiro, Portugal. Oral communication
de Figueiredo D.R., Gonçalves A.M.M., Gonçalves F., Pereira M. J. & Correia A. (2007) Genetic affiliation, ecological nutrient preferences and allelopathic potential of a freshwater Synechococcus strain (UADFSYN1). Plankton Symposium IV. 1s-5 April, João Pessoa, Brazil. Poster
de Figueiredo D.R., Gonçalves A.M.M., Gonçalves F., Pereira M. J. & Correia A. (2007) Multilevel characterization of a bloom-forming strain of Aphanizomenon issatschenkoi. SETAC 2007. 20-24 May, Porto, Portugal. Poster
de Figueiredo D.R., Pereira M.J. & Correia A. (2006) A importância da abordagem pluridisciplinar na compreensão da dinâmica dos ecossistemas – caso dos blooms cianobacterianos. 5º Congresso Ibérico sobre Gestão e Planeamento da Água. 4t-8 December, Faro, Portugal. Oral communication
de Figueiredo D.R., Correia A.C., Azeiteiro U.M., Gonçalves F. & Pereira M.J. (2005) Genotypic diversity as the key to the understanding of worldwide cyanobacterial blooms dynamics and toxicity. Keynote lecture at the Plankton Symposium III. 17t-20 March, Figueira da Foz, Portugal. Oral communication
de Figueiredo D.R., Pereira M.J., Moura A., Henriques I. & Correia A. (2005) Genotypic characterization and toxic potential of bloom-forming cyanobacteria from Vela Lake (Portugal) – molecular fingerprinting. MICROBIOTEC’05. 30th November – 3rd December, Póvoa do Varzim, Portugal. Poster
de Figueiredo D.R., Lopes V., Antunes S.C., Pereira M.J. & Gonçalves F. (2004) Chronic effects of Cyanobacteria on Daphnids reproduction. III Post-graduation Symposium in Biosciences. 10-11 May, Aveiro, Portugal. Poster
de Figueiredo D.R., Vidal T., Lopes V., Soares A.M.V.M. & Pereira M.J. (2003) Cyanobacterial Toxins – a Health and Environmental Problem. 1st World Environmental Education Congress. 20t-24 May, Espinho, Portugal. Poster
de Figueiredo D.R., Azeiteiro U.M., Esteves S.M., Gonçalves F.J.M. & Pereira M.J. (2003) Hepatotoxic blooms – occurrence and consequences of microcystin production. 1st World Environmental Education Congress. 20-24 May, Espinho, Portugal. Poster
de Figueiredo D.R., Lopes V., Antunes S., Pereira M.J. & Gonçalves F. (2003) Effects of Cyanoprokaryota on the reproduction of Daphnids. Simpósio – Biodiversidade em ecossistemas Insulares: o exemplo de Porto Santo. 28th September, Porto Santo, Portugal. Poster
de Figueiredo D.R. & Pereira M.J. (2003) Effects of different nutrient (N and P) concentrations on growth of Anabaena. II Post-graduation Symposium in Biosciences. 13-14 May, Aveiro, Portugal. Oral communication
de Figueiredo D.R. & Pereira M.J. (2002) Cyanotoxins production under limited nutrient (N and P) conditions. Post-Graduation Symposium in Biosciences. 29-30 April, Aveiro, Portugal. Poster