Sandy Beaches as Endangered Ecosystems (PDF)

Sílvia C. Gonçalves is a Portuguese researcher, with a PhD in Biology (specialty of Ecology) by the University of Coimbra, Portugal. She is presently Coordinating Professor at the School of Tourism and Maritime Technology (ESTM), of the Polytechnic of Leiria (Portugal), lecturing mainly in the scientific areas of ecology, biological diversity and marine environment. She is also a Senior Researcher at MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre and focusses her research on marine ecology, in the following domains: (1) bio-ecology of crustacean populations on sandy beaches and their potential as ecological indicators of human impacts; (2) structure and function of macrobenthic communities; (3) monitoring and evaluation of environmental quality in coastal ecosystems, especially on sandy beaches and coastal lagoons. Her scientific research activities also include environmental biotechnology (e.g., bioremediation of trace metals by halophyte plants) and aquaculture (e.g., maintenance and reproduction of sea urchins and fish). Her scientific production includes book chapters in international books, research papers in international scientific periodicals with referee, publications in international congresses with referee, oral and poster presentations on international scientific meetings and the authorship of one documentary of scientific outreach about marine life in coastal areas. She is also referee of several international scientific periodicals from leading publishers (e.g., Elsevier, Springer Verlag, Taylor & Francis) and Associate Editor of the journal Frontiers in Marine Science.

Susana M.F. Ferreira is a Portuguese researcher, with a PhD in Biology (specialization in Ecology) from the University of Coimbra (Portugal), since 2005. She is currently an Adjunct Professor at the Polytechnic of Leiria Portugal), where she lectures biology, zoology, histology, embryology, population dynamics, and is a Coordination Commission member of the Higher