http://hdl.handle.net/10174/169 2026-04-06T14:10:50Z http://hdl.handle.net/10174/41670 Title: Promoting Landscape Heterogeneity in Silvopastoral Systems through Very High-Voltage Power Line Pylons: An Unconventional Approach Authors: P. Fernandes, Mariana; Matono, Paula; Pinto-Cruz, Carla; Almeida, Erika; Nunes, Alice; Belo, Anabela; Moreira, Francisco Abstract: Mediterranean silvopastoral systems (Montado in Portugal or Dehesa in Spain) are considered High Nature Value farmlands with sustainable and low-intensity human use that unite forestry and livestock production, being characterized by a habitat mosaic that combines natural and semi-natural grasslands, a tree layer with different densities of Quercus spp. (mainly Q. suber or Q. rotundifolia, or both) and singular landscape elements (e.g. small shrublands, small rocky outcrops, temporary ponds, and watercourses with riparian galleries). Singular landscape elements are crucial to ecosystem services' functioning by providing habitat heterogeneity and connectivity that support species' life cycles and sustain ecological networks. As the management of Mediterranean silvopastoral systems intensifies, with overgrazing threatening the maintenance of singular landscape elements, these systems' functionality and high biodiversity are compromised. Designing restoration solutions tailored to the farmland context could be a helpful strategy to offset the landscape simplification and multifunctionality loss of the silvopastoral systems. Very high-voltage power line pylons, widespread also trough farmlands, can be handled as an artificial singular landscape element by using their base surface to promote native vegetation and provide an opportunity to restore landscape heterogeneity and connectivity to plants and some fauna. The area under very high-voltage pylons is negligible for agricultural or grazing uses and challenging to access by machinery, being frequently left unmanaged and, therefore, available to apply restoration solutions without compromising the landowner's productivity and profitability. Our study tested the hypothesis that vegetation under very high-voltage pylons can be restored to create elements of heterogeneity in grazing systems. We tested two restoration solutions: a passive one by grazing exclusion and an active one that combines grazing exclusion with a native seed mix application. We aimed to assess these restoration solutions' effectiveness in recovering Mediterranean vegetation patches under very high-voltage pylons and their effects on the plant community's composition, diversity and vertical structure. The study, carried out over five years, took place in southern Portugal under 15 very high-voltage pylons (plots of 48m2) distributed in Mediterranean silvopastoral systems grazed by cattle. We fenced 10 plots in autumn 2017: five to Passive Restoration by excluding cattle grazing and promoting natural regeneration, and five to Active Restoration by sowing a seed mix of herbaceous and shrub native species. We also established five plots as control (No Intervention). We surveyed the vegetation and assessed the plants' abundance and the mean vegetation height before (spring 2017) and after the intervention (spring 2018-2021). We evaluated the species richness, Shannon index diversity, vertical structure (vegetation mean height) and the dissimilarity of the community composition between the pre- and post-intervention periods. The restoration solutions increased plant communities' heterogeneity at the landscape level by establishing plant communities underneath very high-voltage pylons that contrast in plant composition and vegetation vertical structure with the surrounding grassland. Although more time-consuming and expensive, the active restoration solution increased species richness and maintained species diversity locally. In contrast, the passive restoration solution, at the local scale, maintained species richness but decreased species diversity. The bases of very high-voltage pylons can effectively be used to create singular landscape elements in grazed systems and may serve as stepping stones between remnants of natural vegetation. Using the bases of very high-voltage pylons to promote native vegetation and increase landscape heterogeneity can be a complementary strategy to offset the adverse effects of overgrazing in silvopastoral systems and a new approach to bring natural elements into agricultural landscapes, as shown in our pilot essay. 2025-05-27T23:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10174/41413 Title: Augmented Reality Tools for Swine production Students Authors: Schiavon, Stefano; Gallo, Luigi; Giannuzzi, Diana; Toscano, Alessandro; Tono, Vito; Alvarez-Rodriguez, Javier; Lozano, Pedro; Gasiorowska, Wieslawa; Roslewska, Aleksandra; Charneca, Rui; Caetano, Pedro; Santamaria, Sergio; Mateo, Jorge; Mainar, Raúl; Latorre, Maria Abstract: To develop a virtual platform connecting the teaching infrastructures of three universities in the field of swine production, using technologies based on augmented reality. This working environment will create an innovative teaching and learning experience that will make it possible to overcome gaps in infrastructures, biosanitary restrictions and enrich the learning environment through international collaboration and digitisation. The ART-SWINE platform is the main result of the project, which will also contribute to the following results: 1.Improving the quality and relevance of practical training in swine production; 2.Adaptation of teaching to the current challenges of biosecurity without sacrificing practical experience; 3.Promoting innovation and new technologies in animal production practices; 4.To create an enriching and diverse learning environment through international collaboration. 2025-05-31T23:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10174/41412 Title: ART-SWINES: Herramientas de realidad aumentada para estudiantes de producción y sanidad porcina Authors: Falceto, Maria; Latorre, Maria; Álvarez-Rodríguez, Javier; Miana-Mena, Francisco; Garza, Julia; Oñate, Pilar; Remón, Sara; Muniesa, Ana; Schiavon, Stefano; Gallo, Luigi; Charneca, Rui; Lozano, Pedro; Caetano, Pedro; Martins, José; Santamaria, Sergio; Mateo, Jorge; Gasiorowska, Wieslawa; Roslewska, Aleksandra; Mainar-Jaime, Raúl Abstract: La formación práctica en producción y sanidad porcina se enfrenta a limitaciones derivadas de la falta de granjas docentes universitarias y a las estrictas normativas biosanitarias que restringen el acceso de los estudiantes a las granjas porcinas comerciales. ART-SWINES es un proyecto que pretende desarrollar una plataforma virtual que conecte las infraestructuras docentes de tres universidades en producción y sanidad porcina, empleando tecnología de realidad virtual generada a partir de granjas reales. Este entorno de trabajo ofrecerá una experiencia de enseñanza-prendizaje innovadora, que permitirá salvar carencias de infraestructuras y restricciones biosanitarias, además de enriquecer la formación gracias a la colaboración internacional y la digitalización. 2025-09-30T23:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10174/41408 Title: Uncovering the genetic diversity of native bovine from South Angola Authors: Sebastino, K; Chiaia, H; Afonso, P; Gaspar, J; Teixeira, F; Ngola, S; Simão, C; Casimiro, J; Nanga, P; Miguel, A; Gomes, L; Alexandre, A; Leitão, A; Cordeiro, J; Amaral, A Abstract: cattle in Angola and how they relate to other breeds. In Africa we find Bos taurus and Bos indicus cattle and a hybrid also known as Sanga cattle. The most dominant cattle in Angola are Sanga which name varies according to the location and native language of the region, existing 11 different denominations, which conservation status in unknown. Sampling was performed between 2023 and 2024 in different provinces. Here we report the results of the first sequenced samples originated from Namibe (N = 4) and Cunene (N = 2), that resemble with Sanga cattle called Mucubal in Namibe and Kwanhama in Cunene. A total of 339Gb of data, was generated that was compared with public data of Angus, Hereford, N’Dama and Djankole breeds. After quality control, mapping (BWA), and SNP calling (samtools, bcftools) with a minimum 10× coverage and observation in at least 3 reads, ~17 million high-confidence SNPs were identified. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to assess the population structure, using PLINK. Admixture analysis from k = 2 to k = 6, was performed using Fastmixture to investigate ancestry; and Linkage disequilibrium (LD) decay was estimated using PopLDdecay to investigate diversity and selection. The PCA analysis, one with African breeds and 2 others composed by Angus and Hereford samples respectively. If in the PCA Angolan samples were clustered together with other African cattle, these present lower extent of LD. The analysis of admixture shows several haplotypes in the ancestry of all the samples. Nevertheless, Angolan breeds display higher degree of ancestry with other African cattle. In conclusion, these results suggest that cattle from these provinces share a common genetic background, which is like other African cattle breeds. Importantly these seem to harbour higher level of genetic diversity. Future perspectives include sequencing further samples in these provinces as well as from other provinces of the country. 2025-07-19T23:00:00Z