I am Dimítri de Araújo Costa, member of the Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), University of Porto in Portugal since 2018, performing researches in aquatic life, taxonomy, systematics, ecology, education/ocean literacy/citizen science, 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. I have been a volunteer researcher since 2006 in the "Paulo Young" Scientific Collection of Invertebrates (CIPY) at the Department of Systematics and Ecology (DSE) of the Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB). I am integrating partnerships with the Faculty of Sciences, ICBAS (Abel Salazar Biomedical Sciences Institute), i3S (Institute for Research and Innovation in Health) from the U.Porto/Portugal, CIBIO (Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources - InBIO Associate Laboratory)/U.Porto/Portugal, Aquamuseu do Rio Minho/Portugal, UFPB/Brazil, State University of Paraíba(UEPB)/Brazil and the University of Vigo/Spain. I am an associated member of the Systematics Association/UK - Linnean Society (https://systass.org/), and Scientific Collections Editor of GBIF/Global Biodiversity Information Facility website (https://www.gbif.org/). In addition, I have been a teacher in Biology, Chemistry, Science and Mathematics.
PA1 - Planning and managing sea uses at the regional level
PA2 - Development of offshore marine multi-use infrastructures to support the blue economy
i-TaxAtlanMed: Integrative taxonomy in the Atlantic and Mediterranean Alga concept had been captivated scientists for attempting to understand what features may unify all seaweeds organisms. In this way, AlgaeBase website (https://www.algaebase.org/) is a good initiative for including species belonging to this non-monophyletic taxonomical group. In industry, algae are broadly used for food, cosmetic products, medicine, bioenergy, and biofuels, among others. Nonetheless, climate changes intensified by anthropogenic actions have caused several effects on algae survival, resulting in the death of these marine photosynthetic organisms and associated life. So, the algae-monitoring-studies and their resource-rational-use with different stakeholders/society are essential for the maintenance of this resource. Against this background, this project plans to provide, through integrative taxonomy, a mega database of algal species present in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, including the species that associate with them, such as marine invertebrates. Taxonomic keys, increment of the GenBank/Bold System database, as well as possible mitogenomes may be made, through CIIMAR/U.Porto, as well as partners that may join the team. Some insights for carrying out the work are: i) study known biodiversity hotspots (e.g. rhodolith beds, kelps forest), ii) deploy 3d-printed reefs to monitor colonisation rate, iii) promote citizen science and ocean literacy with local residents and schools.
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.