Sapientia
UAlg Scientific Repository
About Sapientia
The SAPIENTIA repository gathers an exhaustive set of Algarve University's (UAlg) teachers and researchers scientific publications with an express goal of maximising its visibility, ensure easy and universal access and amelliorate the overall public impact of the university scientific endeavors, as well as the ongoing preservation of its memory.
Recent Submissions
El “CHATÊS”: posibilidades de utilización de nuevos medios y sus códigos en el aprendizaje de los idiomas maternos
Publication . Côrtes Moreira, Sandra Cristina; Aguaded Goméz, José Ignacio
Neste trabalho analisou-se a forma como algumas novas tecnologias/canais/meios de Comunicação – os telemóveis e os Chats/Instant Messenges Softwares – podem influenciar o uso da língua materna (no caso, o Português) e a correcta aprendizagem da sua norma, por parte dos jovens utilizadores. Avaliou-se o perfil do utilizador típico e as regras implícitas nesse processo de construção de mensagens, bem como os problemas comunicacionais que podem resultar desse mesmo uso. Para além da pesquisa bibliográfica e da recolha de textos e sua análise (close reading), utilizaram-se, neste estudo, estratégias de observação participante e não participante, tendo-se realizado quinze entrevistas (via e-mail) e sessões com seis Focus Groups, compostos por professores e alunos da Escola Secundária de Silves – ESS (10º, 11º, 12º anos, entre os 16 e os 18 anos). Aplicaram-se conceitos como língua, linguagem, código, signo, ícone, entre outros, para perceber este “novo tipo de comunicação” –, a que, de forma lúdica, se deu o nome de “chatês” –, tendo-se concluído que o mesmo poderá classificar-se como um código híbrido, já que mistura particularidades das línguas maternas dos utilizadores (sintaxe, léxico), bem como novas características, algumas delas muito específicas (os emoticons, os smileys, as abreviaturas e acrónimos, a pontuação excessiva, entre outras), podendo, mesmo, como referem alguns autores, vir a considerar-se como um novo género textual. Este uso, que o senso comum aponta como sendo destruidor do conhecimento/domínio correcto da norma da língua materna nas faixas etárias mais jovens, não está a pôr em risco essa mesma língua, mas é mais um dos factores que contribuem para a permanente adaptabilidade e transformação da mesma, revelando os seus utilizadores uma competência criativa alta, grande capacidade de síntese e facilidade de introdução, no próprio “chatês”, de vários níveis da língua. Todavia, os alunos, sobretudo os de faixa etária mais baixa e com maiores dificuldades na aprendizagem da língua materna (comprovadas pelas notas mais baixas na mesma e pelas claras dificuldades de expressão manifestadas nos exercícios propostos), revelam, na sua prática escolar, marcas de utilização do “chatês”, como se demonstra pelos diversos exemplos recolhidos. Por isso, foram desenvolvidos/aplicados em diversas turmas da ESS, na disciplina de Português, exercícios recorrendo a este código, que se revelaram motivadores, quer para docentes, quer para alunos e eficientes na transmissão de conhecimentos relativos à norma do Português e que se compilaram num Pequeno Guia Rápido para o Uso do “Chatês” na Aprendizagem do Português. Conclui-se, do mesmo modo, que o “chatês” desempenha um papel social, sendo um elemento integrador dos jovens no seu grupo de pares.
A new diatom species from a transitional environment (Arade river estuary, Portugal): Tetramphora witkowskii sp. nov.
Publication . Gomes, Ana; Hamilton, Paul Brian; Solak, Cüneyt Nadir; Boski, Tomasz; Moura, Delminda; Ertorun, Nesil; Yedidağ, Ferhan
Due to the environmental complexity created by physical and chemical gradients, transitional biomes host a large biological diversity. There has been some effort to better understand the diversity of diatoms living in these transitional environments, although many diatom species remain undescribed from these habitats. Gathering this knowledge will significantly improve our ability to halt biodiversity loss due to anthropogenic activities and assess individual water bodies' ecological status. More detailed studies on diatoms from transitional environments will also further enhance the research that uses them as proxies to reconstruct past environmental changes. The current research documents a new diatom species from the genus Tetramphora, found on the saltmarshes of the Arade River Estuary (Southern Portugal), and its autecology. As with the other twelve recognised species of the genus, Tetramphora witkowskii sp. nov. presents an asymmetrical valve outline, a biarcuate raphe system, slit like areolae, axial costae, a central hyaline area, and a dorsal central thickening. Tetramphora witkowskii sp. nov. is characterised by having finely silicified valves with a nearly flat face, 28.0-33.0 mu m in length and 6.0-6.5 mu m in width. The new species has a stria density of 24-27 in 10 mu m with narrow, longitudinally oriented areola openings. It presents proximal raphe endings covered by a projected dorsal-side flap and a developed sternum with thickened costae, weakly formed on the dorsal side of the central area. Tetramphora witkowskii sp. nov. was found as a benthic epipelic diatom with a preference for brackish to salt water with circumneutral pH. Further research is required to better understand this species' colony and frustule shape, the number, morphology, and position of the chloroplasts, genetic signature, geographical distribution, and environmental tolerance.
Combining optical and SAR satellite data to monitor coastline changes in the Black Sea
Publication . Jiang, Dalin; Marino, Armando; Ionescu, Maria; Gvilava, Mamuka; Savaneli, Zura; Loureiro, Carlos; Spyrakos, Evangelos; Tyler, Andrew; Stanica, Adrian
The coastal environments of the Black Sea are of high ecological and socio-economic importance. Understanding changes along this extensive and complex coastline can help us comprehend the pressures from nature, society, and extreme events, providing valuable insights for more effective management and the prevention of future adverse changes. Current methods for monitoring coastal dynamics rely on the accurate extraction of coastlines from optical and/or Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images, providing information only on the rate of change. This study developed a simple yet novel approach by combining Sentinel-1 SAR image for surface change detection and Sentinel-2 Multispectral Instrument (MSI) optical image for coastline detection, which provides data on both the rate and area of change. Coastlines were extracted from the Modified Normalised Difference Water Index (MNDWI) calculated from MSI images and rates of change were calculated from the extracted coastlines. SAR images for the same areas were stacked and differences during the analysis period were calculated, allowing the determination of the area of change. Another new method was developed to combine the changes detected from optical and SAR images, and only results in locations showed consistent change direction (erosion or accretion) were retained. The extracted coastlines were validated using in situ-measured coastlines along the Romanian and Georgian coasts. The validation analysis showed that the average difference between satellite-derived and in situ coastlines was 11.8 m. The method developed was then applied to the entire Black Sea coast, revealing 35.1 km2 of changes between 2016 and 2023. These observed changes include 23.9 km2 (68 %) coastal advance and 11.3 km2 (32 %) of retreat. A total of 54 % of the changes are estimated to be the result of natural coastline erosion or accretion, whilst 35 % can be attributed to artificial changes related to construction activity. Around 11 % are attributed to random occurrences due to boat/ship movement or land cover changes on adjacent land. Natural coastline changes were mainly observed in the vicinity of deltaic and estuarine system and along sandy shorelines, including along the Danube Delta, K & imath;z & imath;l & imath;rmak-Yes,il & imath;rmak deltas, Chorokhi-Rioni-Kodori River mouths and the coast from Dnieper-Bug Estuary to Karkinit Bay. Artificial changes were mainly found along the southern Black Sea coast, where airports, ports, harbours, and jetties have been constructed in recent years. The proposed method provides a simple, efficient and accurate way for coastline change monitoring, and findings in this study can support the sustainable coastal zone management in the Black Sea.
The origins and spread of the opium poppy ( Papaver somniferum L.) revealed by genomics and seed morphometrics
Publication . Machado, Rui; Bonhomme, Vincent; Soteras, Raül; Jeanty, Angele; Bouby, Laurent; Evin, Allowen; Fernandes Martins, Maria João; Gonçalves, Sandra; Antolín, Ferran; Salavert, Aurélie; Oliveira, Hugo
The opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) is one of the most important plants in human history. It is the main source of opiates used as analgesic medicines or psychotropic drugs, the latter related to addiction problems, illegal trafficking and geopolitical issues. Poppyseed is also used in cooking. The prehistoric origins, domestication and cultivation spread of the opium poppy remain unresolved. Traditionally, Papaver setigerum has been considered the wild ancestor with early cultivation presumed to have occurred in the Western Mediterranean region, where setigerum is autochthonous. Other theories suggest that somniferum may have been introduced by Southwest Asian early farmers as a weed. To investigate these hypotheses, we analysed 190 accessions from 15 Papaver species using genotype-by-sequencing and geometric morphometric (GMM) techniques. Our analysis revealed that setigerum is the only taxa genetically close to somniferum and can be better described as a subspecies. The domesticated plants are, however, distinct from setigerum. Additionally, GMM analysis of seeds also revealed morphological differences between setigerum and somniferum. Some phenotypically wild setigerum accessions exhibited intermediate genetic features, suggesting introgression events. Two major populations were found in somniferum and, to some extent, these correspond to differences in seed form. These two populations may reflect recent attempts to breed varieties rich in opiates, as opposed to varieties used for poppyseed production. This study supports the idea that opium poppy cultivation began in the Western Mediterranean, with setigerum as the wild progenitor, although some wild varieties are likely to be feral forms, which can confound domestication studies.This article is part of the theme issue 'Unravelling domestication: multi-disciplinary perspectives on human and non-human relationships in the past, present and future'.
Unravelling the formation processes and depositional histories of the middle palaeolithic Ararat-1 cave, Armenia: a multiscalar and multiproxy geoarchaeological approach
Publication . Oikonomou, Ioannis A.K.; Karampaglidis, Theodoros; Fenn, Kaja; Gur-Arieh, Shira; Cabrita Nora, David André; Sánchez-Romero, Laura; Rogall, Dominik L.; Vettese, Delphine; Gasparyan, Boris; Petrosyan, Artur; Malinsky-Buller, Ariel
The sedimentary sequence of Ararat-1 Cave encapsulates an intricate depositional archive (Marine Isotope Stage 3), crucial for our understanding of the Middle Palaeolithic in the Armenian Highlands and beyond. The study of this record is accomplished through the use of a multi-proxy geoarchaeological framework of analysis, incor porating stratigraphical, micromorphological, sedimentological, mineralogical, chemical, magnetic, micro archaeological and geochronological methods. These analyses demonstrate the predominance of geogenic pro cesses, including rockfalls, grain and debris flows, interbedded with aeolian sedimentation, as well as localised pyroclastic material in-wash events. Post-depositional alterations are primarily linked to intense bioturbation, as well as minimal karst-induced cementation and minor phosphate diagenesis. The study of the anthropogenic and biogenic records indicates dynamic human-animal habitation histories. Human visits, associated with combus tion and consumption activities, were infrequent and short-lived, representing brief occupation episodes in a cave habitually visited by carnivores and herbivores. This high-resolution reconstruction of Ararat-1 Cave for mation histories improves our understanding of regional settlement and mobility patterns, highlighting the presence of Middle Palaeolithic groups that temporarily camped in the Ararat Depression.