I am Dimitri de Araujo Costa, member of the EEBI (Estuarine Ecology and Biological Invasions Research Team) from CIIMAR (Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research)/University of Porto/Portugal since 2018, performing researches in aquatic life, taxonomy, systematics, ecology, education, museology, with emphasis on invertebrates associated with bioengineers, such as calcareous algae/rhodolith beds, fleshy algae, coral reefs, exotic and autochthonous plants/algae at marine, brackish and freshwater environments. Since 2006, he integrated as a researcher (currently as a volunteer) into the Paulo Young Scientific Collection of Invertebrates, at the Department of Systematics and Ecology, Federal University of Paraíba/Brazil

Conservation Biology
Ecology
Education sciences
Management sciences
Marine Biology
Phylogenetics
Systematics
Taxonomy

Knowing the importance of algae for aquatic ecosystems around the globe and bearing in mind the climate changes that have affected their abundance and diversity, the goals of this project are:
1) Identifying the associated biodiversity with algae for attempting to recognize exotic, native, and endemic species, including possible threatened ones; for elaborating taxonomical guides and phylogenetic analyses.
2) Based on the first-step-results, propose strategies for the conservation of the studied environments;
3) Acting in a non-academic society using environmental-education-hands-on-activities via science communication, citizen science and ocean literacy;
4) Establishing a stakeholders’ network of institutions and researchers from European and non-European countries, aiming to promote environmental awareness and consequently to protect coastal areas;
5) In the case of successful of this project and stakeholders’ network, the extra goal is expanding the studies and the partnerships for other areas/oceans/environments.

biodiversity identification, systematics, aquatic ecology, coastal environments, environmental management, environmental awareness, ocean literacy, citizen science, environmental education, seaweeds

Our main affiliation is CIIMAR/U.Porto/Portugal with additional network with Aquamuseu do Rio Minho/Portugal. Other institutions that have an interest in joining this project are welcome, with competences that can aggregate and broaden the scope of the proposed activities, as well as suggesting other goals or improving them.