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- The winds and the waves that carved out today’s coastal landscape of Sines (Portugal)Publication . Fernandes, Jacinta; Bizarro, Joana; Loureiro, Nuno de Santos; Santos, CarlosThe Atlantic maritime winds and waves, as natural forces, shaped the physiography of Sines, a peculiar rocky cliff cape at the western Portuguese coast, as well as cultural processes have shaped its spatial arrangement since ancient times. Despite its small size, Sines port has always been an important maritime trade corner. In the 1970s, winds and waves of modernity reached the Sines coast with an imposing industrial-port complex. We present the history of Sines cape focusing on its landscape dynamics. The patch-corridor-matrix model allowed us to describe the mosaic transformation of such a unique landscape. Spatial information was gathered mostly from historical maps processed with digital tools. A time series of thematic maps (landscape mosaic pattern) was obtained, covering more than 120 years. Current results emphasize that this landscape underwent relevant transformations related to human activities since former times, although disturbance and fragmentation of the landscape were strongly intensified after the arrival of the post-modern wave of the industrial culture. The present study provides a contribution to the history of the Portuguese and Mediterranean coastal landscapes; and results could be used to support decision making in sustainable management of this territory.
- Long-term changes in cork oak and holm oak patches connectivity. The Algarve, Portugal, a Mediterranean landscape case studyPublication . Loureiro, Nuno de Santos; Fernandes, Maria JacintaStructural connectivity can be inferred by several landscape metrics that appear to be relevant for characterizing how landscapes constrain or favor the presence and movement of animal species at the level of the regional landscape. Trends of change can be estimated trough spatial time-series analysis. The use of historical maps increases the time span of analysis of the landscape dynamic, relative to the use of remote sensing-related information. Supported by GIS, in this study, a framework for the analyses of the long-term trends of change in the connectivity of the Algarve regional landscape was used to seize the possibility of expanding the span of the spatial time series by integrating an unpublished agricultural and forest map from the turn of the 19th to the 20th century with another historical map and two recent maps. The total area covered by cork and holm oak-related community patches and their connectivity increased over the 20th century and stabilized in the 21st century. A reflection on Portuguese contemporary land-cover policies is urged, to face the sustainable planning and management challenges concerning biodiversity.
- Restorative effects of biophilic workplace and nature exposure during working time: A systematic reviewPublication . Sousa, Cátia; Fernandes, Maria Jacinta; Almeida, Nuno; Oliveira e Sousa, António; Gonçalves, GabrielaThe work environment plays a crucial role in the health and performance of employees. The growing interest in workers’ well-being has driven the inclusion of nature in workplaces, despite many employees spending most of their time indoors, away from nature. Studies show that biophilic design in offices can have positive effects and promote workers’ well-being. However, research on the beneficial effects of nature exposure in the workplace is limited and scattered. Thus, the aim of this systematic review was to consolidate current knowledge on the restorative effects of nature exposure on workers during work activities. Different types of exposure, both outdoors and indoors, were considered, with a focus on outcomes related to well-being, motivation, job satisfaction, and work performance. Out of the initially identified 1225 articles, only 16 met the criteria for analysis. Although the analysed studies provided compelling evidence regarding the restorative effects of nature exposure in the workplace, the review also points out gaps and limitations concerning the number of specific studies in this area and the need to adequately assess the sensory dimensions involved in these effects. Conducting more comprehensive and multidimensional investigations into the impacts of nature on the work environment could contribute to guiding more effective design strategies and creating healthier and more productive workplaces for employees.
- Psychometric properties of the Portuguese Environmental Attitudes InventoryPublication . Domingues, Rita B.; Fernandes, Maria Jacinta; Cabral, MariaThis paper aimed to assess the structural validity of the Portuguese version (EAI-PT) of the Environmental Attitudes Inventory using exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). EFA showed that all 12 EAI-PT scales have adequate reliabilities. Ten scales loaded heavily on one higher-order factor, whilst scales 5 (confidence in science and technology) and 12 (support for population growth policies) loaded on a different factor; moreover, these scales did not correlate with any other scale, indicating that they are not related to environmental attitudes in the Portuguese population. The removal of these two scales and five items from other scales is suggested, resulting in an EAI-PT version with 95 items and 10 scales. CFA confirmed that a vertical structure of EA with either two second-order factors that reflect the dilemma between Preservation and Utilization or one secondorder factor that expresses a bipolar view of environmental attitudes are equally adequate.
- Adaptation and validation of the perceived restorativeness scale (PRS) for the portuguese population: a study on the assessment of the restorative effect of environmentsPublication . Sousa, Cátia; Silva Fernandes, Maria Jacinta; Encarnação, Tiago; Gonçalves, GabrielaThe relationship between natural environments and psychological well-being has gained increasing attention in environmental and health sciences. However, there is still a lack of robust quantitative instruments to assess the restorative potential of different environments. This study aimed to adapt and validate the Portuguese version of the Perceived Restorativeness Scale (PRS), an instrument based on Attention Restoration Theory that evaluates the perceived restorative qualities of environments. In Study 1, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on data from 410 participants. The results supported a refined 20-item version of the scale, comprising four factors—being away, fascination, compatibility, and legibility—with good internal consistency and acceptable model fit. Measurement invariance analysis confirmed configural, metric, and scalar invariance across gender. In Study 2, a separate sample of 212 participants completed the PRS along with additional validated measures: the Sublime Emotion toward Nature Scale (SEN), an aesthetic evaluation of landscapes, and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). The PRS showed strong convergent and discriminant validity and significantly predicted restorative outcomes. These findings support the psychometric adequacy of the Portuguese PRS and its relevance as a valid tool for assessing perceived restorativeness in both natural and built environments. The scale may inform future research and public policies aimed at designing spaces that promote psychological restoration and mental well-being.
- Physiological and psychological benefits of exposure to nature during work in a military bunker—a pilot experimental studyPublication . Silva Fernandes, Maria Jacinta; Bento, Ana Teresa; Gonçalves, Gabriela; Campos, ClariceThe present controlled experimental research addresses the effects of exposure to nature on workers’ well-being and job performance in a work-confined setting. Ten individuals working in an open-space office inside a Portuguese military bunker were exposed to simulated nature (audio sounds and/or video images of nature). Quantitative physiological (heart rate) and self-reported measures (perceived positive and negative emotions, environment restorativeness, and work performance) were taken. Results indicate that exposure to nature during working time in confined places, through simulating a window with a view of nature and/or by introducing sounds of nature, promotes physiological and emotional well-being at work (heart rate significantly decreases, positive emotions significantly increase, and negative emotions decrease), and significantly increases employees’ perception of workplace restorative qualities. The results on work performance were non-significant. The present findings contribute to the evidence of the restorative effects of nature exposure during work. The research bridges a gap by considering workplaces where real nature exposure is not feasible and examining the evidence on the beneficial biophilic interventions (the restorative effects of simulated nature) within confined environments. The strategy to use videos and audio of nature may improve the structural conditions of work, benefiting well-being in these types of work settings.