Mediterranean Coastal Area Research Articles

Underwater Acoustic Measurements to Estimate Wind and Rainfall in the Mediterranean Sea

Oceanic ambient noise measurements can be analyzed to obtain qualitative and quantitative information about wind and rainfall phenomena over the ocean filling the existing gap of reliable meteorological observations at sea. The Ligurian Sea Acoustic Experiment was designed to collect long-term synergistic observations from a passive acoustic recorder and surface sensors (i.e., buoy mounted rain gauge and anemometer and weather radar) to support error analysis of rainfall rate and wind speed quantification techniques developed in past studies. The study period included combination of high and low wind and rainfall episodes and two storm events that caused two floods in the vicinity of La Spezia and in the city of Genoa in 2011. The availability of high resolution in situ meteorological data allows improving data processing technique to detect and especially to provide effective estimates of wind and rainfall at sea. Results show a very good correspondence between estimates provided by passive acoustic recorder algorithm and in situ observations for both rainfall and wind phenomena and demonstrate the potential of using measurements provided by passive acoustic instruments in open sea for early warning of approaching coastal storms, which for the Mediterranean coastal areas constitutes one of the main causes of recurrent floods.

Are red mullet efficient as bio-indicators of mercury contamination? A case study from the French Mediterranean

Mercury (Hg) is one of the main chemicals currently altering Mediterranean ecosystems. Red mullet (Mullus barbatus and M. surmuletus) have been widely used as quantitative bio-indicators of chemical contamination. In this study, we reassess the ability of these species to be used as efficient bio-indicators of Hg contamination by monitoring during 18months Hg concentrations in muscle tissue of mullet sampled from 5 French Mediterranean coastal areas. Mean concentrations ranged between 0.23 and 0.78μgg−1 dry mass for both species. Values were consistent with expected contamination patterns of all sites except Corsica. Results confirmed that red mullets are efficient bio-indicators of Hg contamination. Nevertheless, the observed variability in Hg concentrations calls for caution regarding the period and the sample size. Attention should be paid to environmental and biologic specificities of each studied site, as they can alter the bioaccumulation of Hg, and lead to inferences about environmental Hg concentrations.

Influence of Data Source and Training Size on Impervious Surface Areas Classification Using VHR Satellite and Aerial Imagery Through an Object-Based Approach

Two very-high-resolution (VHR) satellite images from the GeoEye-1 and WorldView-2 sensors have been used in order to extract impervious surface areas (ISAs) over a Mediterranean coastal area of Almeria (Spain) through an object-based image analysis (OBIA). Different feature sets (basic multispectral information, relative spectral indices, and texture indices based on local variance) were used to feed a support vector machine (SVM) classifier in order to determine the most suitable information for ISAs classification. The classification results coming from both satellite images were compared to each other and also against those provided by a previous similar work carried out on an archival orthoimage. An estimation of the most appropriate number of training samples was performed for each data source by a sampling size reduction procedure. The accuracy assessment of the classification results showed that texture based on local variance was a valuable feature to improve ISA classification accuracy. When texture based on variance was included, the classification accuracy results provided by the archival orthoimage experiment (overall accuracy: 88.1% and KHAT: 0.760) were similar to those obtained from the VHR-satellite images (overall accuracy: 90.4% and 89.7%, KHAT: 0.806 and 0.792 for GeoEye-1 and WorldView-2, respectively). Finally, the influence of the data source and training size on ISA classification accuracy was also proved.

Isolation and genotyping of potentially pathogenic Vibrio alginolyticus associated with Ruditapes decussatus larva and juvenile mass mortalities

Recently, a series of mass mortalities of cultured Ruditapes decussatus have occurred in the bivalve hatchery of the National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technologies situated on the eastern littoral of Tunisia, North Africa. Vibrio alginolyticus species was predominantly isolated from dead and moribund veliger larva and juvenile. As far as we know, this is the first report of the involvement of this bacterium in clam epizootics in southern Mediterranean coastal areas. All bacterial isolates were biochemically identified, molecularly characterized by amplification of the Hsp-40 gene and analyzed by enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-based PCR to evaluate genotypic relationships between the isolated strains. The antibiotics sensitivity, the lysozyme antibacterial effect and the in vitro cytotoxic activity (HeLa, Vero and Hep-2 cell lines) were also carried out. Furthermore, V. alginolyticus pathogenicity to R. decussatus larva was investigated using an experimental infection model. The majority of Vibrio isolates expressed high rates of antimicrobial resistance. The minimum inhibitory concentration results revealed that tetracycline and gentamycin were the most effective antibiotics against the tested strains. The phylogenetic analysis revealed relatedness between pathogenic isolates recovered from different locations. Vibrio cells were also able to resist to the bactericidal effect of the R. decussatus larva lysozyme. The extracellular products from V. alginolyticus isolates (L511, PL520 and N385) displayed significant cytotoxic effects against Vero and HeLa cells. The experimental challenge showed that all Vibrio strains exhibited high rates of mortality (up to 90 %) in R. decussatus larva after 24-h exposure to high bacterial concentration (107 ufc mL−1).

Labor productivity losses over western Turkey in the twenty-first century as a result of alteration in WBGT.

Occupational fatalities and work-related injuries are more common in Turkey than in most developing and developed countries. Several precautions have been taken concerning the matter, and The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSL 2012) has been passed. These efforts, however, have failed to incorporate in their framework the role of global warming. New legislation is underway for the prevention of occupational diseases, injuries, and fatalities. This is particularly worrisome given that Turkey is in the forefront of countries projected to be affected seriously by climate change. Consequently, a study on the direct and indirect impact of climate change on workers' health and labour productivity is paramount. The main purpose of this research is to present diminishing labour productivity as a consequence of decreased working hours via an estimate of rest hours of workers in manual labour. The climatic outputs of Regional Climate Model (RegCM3) obtained from the ENSEMBLES Project are used to calculate the wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) over western Turkey. The study covers the span of years between 1971 and 2100. Moreover, spatial distributions of observed domain are estimated by means of a seasonal analysis, preliminary to a more detailed research. Critical regions, more adversely influenced than others, are identified. The total number of loss days for these critical regions are presented for various time periods. As a result, labour productivity particularly in agriculture and construction is expected to diminish seriously over Central Anatolia, Cyprus, and parts of the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean coastal areas. Between 2071 and 2100, deficiency in labour productivity may reach up to 52% during the summer across some of these critical regions. Though it will be seen that the present study has focused primarily on manual labour and outdoor work in particular, it foreshadows nevertheless the dangerous impact of climate change on occupational health and labour productivity in general.

Circulation‐type classification derived on a climatic basis to study air quality dynamics over the Iberian Peninsula

ABSTRACTA circulation‐type classification is derived for the 1983–2012 climatic period to characterize air quality dynamics over the Iberian Peninsula (IP). Sensitivity tests to automatic classification techniques and other factors affecting the classification (number of patterns, temporal and spatial resolution, domain size, etc.) are performed to objectivize the set‐up that maximizes its quality. The ERA‐Interim reanalysis and the cost733class classification software are used. The identified circulation types (CTs) are described in terms of frequency, persistence, transitions, and location of isobaric systems. The temporal stability of the classification is evaluated following a cross‐validation process that compares the results of the climatic and yearly classifications, leading to the identification of a representative year. Moreover, a representative day for each CT is identified using an objective score that minimizes the absolute value difference of the daily grid with respect to the average CT grid. The reference set‐up uses a cluster‐based technique (Ck‐means) on a daily mean sea‐level pressure database. Six CTs are identified, which are consistent with synoptic patterns found in the literature. Furthermore, the CTs of the climatic period are temporally stable showing similar characteristics in terms of frequency and location of high‐ and low‐pressure systems as those of the representative year (2012). As a first application of the CT classification, 1 h‐maximum NO2 concentration maps from the CALIOPE Air Quality Forecasting System is analysed for the representative days. Synoptic circulation controls the origin and strength of advection explaining transport and NO2 background concentration over the IP. However, there is a strong spatial heterogeneity: in central, northern, and southern IP; NO2 concentrations are controlled by the synoptic circulation, whereas in Spanish Mediterranean coastal areas, a combination of synoptic and mesoscale dynamics explains the NO2 concentration patterns.

Heterogeneous distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface sediments and red mullet along the Spanish Mediterranean coast

The spatial distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations was characterised in surface sediments and red mullet from eleven Iberian Mediterranean coastal areas. Mean PAH concentrations ranged from 28 to 1006 and from 3 to 40μgkg−1d.w. in sediment and red mullet muscle, respectively. The highest PAH concentrations in sediments were detected close to main ports and urban nuclei. However, concentrations of PAHs in red mullet showed little correspondence with PAH concentrations of the sediments due to its metabolic capacity. Phenanthrene was the predominant homologue in red mullet, whereas fluoranthene, pyrene and benzo(b)fluoranthene were the most abundant ones in sediments.Significant correlations between PAHs and organic carbon or fine fraction in sediments were only found in some areas. PAH concentrations in sediments were lower than environmental criteria in the majority of cases, except for benzo(g,h,i)perylene in 25% of samples from the Barcelona coastal area and for several homologues close to the port of Sagunto.

Developing an index for heavy convective rainfall forecasting over a Mediterranean coastal area

Abstract. Heavy convective rainfall incidents that occurred over western coastal Greece and led to flash floods are analyzed with respect to mesoscale analysis for the period from January 2006 to June 2011. The synoptic scale circulation is examined throughout the troposphere along with satellite images, lightning data and synoptic observations of weather stations. Well-known instability indices are calculated and tested against synoptic observations. Taking into account the severity of the incidents, the performance of the indices was not as good as expected. Further detailed analysis resulted in the development of a new index that incorporates formalized experience of local weather and modeled knowledge of mechanisms of severe thunderstorms. The proposed index named Local Instability Index (LII), is then evaluated and its performance is found to be quite satisfactory.

Toward homogenization of Mediterranean lagoons and their loss of hydrodiversity

AbstractLagoons are considered to be the most valuable systems of the Mediterranean coastal area, with crucial ecological, historical, economical, and social relevance. Climate change strongly affects coastal areas and can deeply change the status of transitional areas like lagoons. Herein we investigate the hydrological response of 10 Mediterranean lagoons to climate change by means of numerical models. Our results suggest that Mediterranean lagoons amplify the salinity and temperature changes expected for the open sea. Moreover, numerical simulations indicate that there will be a general loss of intralagoon and interlagoon variability of their physical properties. Therefore, as a result of climate change, we see on Mediterranean lagoons an example of a common process that in future may effect many coastal environments: that of homogenization of the physical characteristics with a tendency toward marinization.

Are eulittoral assemblages suitable for detecting the effects of sewage discharges in Atlantic and Mediterranean coastal areas?

The search for cost-effective indicators able to detect anthropogenic impacts is an essential prerequisite to plan mitigation interventions, which can prevent further deterioration of coastal areas. Eulittoral assemblages are accessible for sampling, and their dominant species are easy to identify and widely distributed. This study assessed the potential of eulittoral assemblages to reflect environmental perturbations related to sewage discharge across different environmental and geographical locations. Sampling occurred in impacted (near sewage discharge) and control areas, on both Atlantic and Mediterranean shores. Multivariate analyses showed that the structure of eulittoral invertebrate assemblages differed significantly between control and impacted areas for the Mediterranean, but not for the Atlantic case study. Macroalgae responses to sewage discharge were found on the Mediterranean shore with a significantly higher abundance of Chlorophyta near the outfall. Limpet populations of the genus Patella appear to be affected by sewage discharge. The response of limpet populations differed between Atlantic and Mediterranean shores, probably due to among-species differences of ecological traits. Our results suggest that the response of eulittoral assemblages and limpets to sewage discharge might be strictly context-dependent, thus limiting their potential to serve as general indicators in monitoring the effects of this source of human impact over large spatial scales.

How do microlocal environmental variations affect microbial activities of a Pinus halepensis litter in a Mediterranean coastal area?

Mediterranean coastal ecosystems suffer many different types of natural and anthropogenic environmental pressure. Microbial communities, major conductors of organic matter decomposition are also subject to these environmental constraints. In this study, our aim was to understand how microbial activities vary at a small spatio-temporal scale in a Mediterranean coastal environment. Microbial activities were monitored in a Pinus halepensis litter collected from two areas, one close to (10m) and one far from (300m) the French Mediterranean coast. Litters were transferred from one area to the other using litterbags and studied via different microbial indicators after 2, 5 and 13months. Microbial Basal Respiration, qCO2, certain enzyme activities (laccase, cellulase, β-glucosidase and acid phosphatase) and functional diversity via Biolog microplates were assayed in litterbags left in the area of origin as well as in litterbags transferred from one area to the other. Results highlight that microbial activities differ significantly in this short spatial scale over time. The influence of microlocal conditions more intensified for litters situated close to the sea, especially during summer seems to have a stressful effect on microbial communities, leading to less efficient functional activities. However, microbial activities were more strongly influenced by temporal variations linked to seasonality than by location.

Modelling the potential distribution of the Bridled Skink, Trachylepis vittata (Olivier, 1804), in the Middle East

The Bridled Skink, Trachylepis vittata, is widespread in the Middle East and eastern coastal Mediterranean areas and inhabits foothills throughout the arid regions of the Middle East. With the help of more than 146 distribution records from Iran, Turkey, Syria, Israel, Jordan, Cyprus, Egypt, Lebanon and Libya, we analysed the influence of climate on the distribution pattern. According to the Maximum Entropy model, the most influential factors that determined T. vittata distribution are: precipitation of coldest quarter, Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and precipitation in the warmest quarter. The model suggests that the western slopes of the Zagros Mountains in Iran and slopes in the southern regions of Anatolia around the Mediterranean Sea are suitable for this species. The species is associated with areas with intermediate NDVI (150-180) (a measure of primary productivity), high winter precipitation (>300 mm) and dry summer (<50mm). The association with rainy winter limits the presence of the species in lowlands. The Zagros Mountains may act as a biogeographic barrier that limits the species dispersal eastward, because of their scarce precipitation.

Validación local de la temperatura superficial del mar del sensor MODIS en aguas someras del Mediterráneo occidental

The sea surface temperature (SST) estimated from MODIS Aqua products (daytime and nighttime 11 μm and night 4 μm) has been correlated with field data taken at three depths (15, 50, 100 cm) in a Western Mediterranean coastal area. The comparison has allowed us to analyze the uncertainty in the estimation of this parameter in coastal waters using low spatial resolution satellite images. The results show that the daytime SST_11 μm product obtains fittest statistical values: RMSE (root mean square error) and r2 (Pearson’s correlation coefficient) of 1°C and 0.96, respectively, for 50 cm depth.

New insights into the palaeoenvironmental evolution of Magdala ancient harbour (Sea of Galilee, Israel) from ostracod assemblages, geochemistry and sedimentology

Despite several studies have focused on the past bio-sedimentary response of the Mediterranean coastal areas to ancient seaport activities, only few geoarchaeological and palaeoecological data are available on strictly lacustrine harbours, to date. At the archaeological site of Magdala/Taricheae (Sea of Galilee, north Israel), an interdisciplinary study, combining ostracod fauna composition and shell chemistry with sedimentology, geochemistry of sediments and archaeological data, was undertaken on the sedimentary succession buried beneath the Roman harbour structures in correspondence of two key-sections. This approach provided detailed information about past environmental changes, otherwise not visible, into a high-resolution pottery-based chronological framework at the transition from a natural (pre-harbour) to anthropogenically influenced (harbour) lacustrine depositional setting.New bio-sedimentary and archaeological (pottery) data document that remarkable hydrodynamic and hydrochemical changes took place during the Hellenistic period (from the 3rd–2nd century BC to the first half of the 1st century AD), in response to the construction of the oldest Magdala harbour installations and, possibly, to the following Hasmonean structures. The high V–Cr concentrations observed in the harbour sediments, and the substantial increase of ostracod species (Pseudocandona albicans) preferring slow moving waters and fine-grained substrates point to the establishment of a semi-enclosed, shallow, and organic-rich setting. Coupled ostracod-geochemical analyses also testify to an alkali ions (Na+ and K+) enrichment within whole-sediment samples, reasonably driven by increasing evaporation in response to the partial isolation of the lake margin. The increase in sodium and potassium concentrations is accompanied by the sudden appearance of Heterocypris salina, a brackish-tolerant species, and by the almost absolute dominance of noded valves of Cyprideis torosa, whose shells are enriched in Na, K and Cl. The positive covariance between Na2O + K2O values and the frequencies of noded C. torosa seems to confirm the relation between node development and changes in ionic concentration within hypohaline settings.

Chemical inputs from a karstic submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) into an oligotrophic Mediterranean coastal area

The impacts of nutrient and other chemical inputs released by a submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) on the marine environment of an oligotrophic Mediterranean coastal area (Messiniakos Gulf, SE Ionian Sea) are investigated through a multidisciplinary approach. Nutrients and organic pollutants associated with the SGD are presented to study the chemical characteristics of the SGD and to investigate its effect on the marine ecosystem in comparison to freshwater discharges of the water bodies of Messinia Prefecture.Nutrient and organic pollutant fluxes were calculated from 214Bi-based SGD estimates. An average of 22×103mol of silicate per month and 8×103mol of nitrate per month were released via the SGD. Nutrient concentrations at the mouth of the SGD were three times higher than in Messiniakos Gulf, and NO3− was the primary Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen form discharged by SGD. Organic pollutant concentrations associated with agricultural activities were low at the SGD.The implementation of a Eutrophication Index (E.I.) showed that the water column at the SGD site corresponds to Moderate/Bad ecological quality, whereas the status switches rapidly to Good at a small distance from the SGD. Coastal areas influenced by river or sewage discharge correspond to a Moderate/Good ecological status. The BENTIX index used for the classification of the ecological quality status of the benthic macroinvertebrate communities showed that the SGD has a minor influence compared to the other freshwater discharges in Messiniakos Gulf.Though the SGD has a considerable outflow, morphology and hydrodynamics of the area favor the rapid dispersion of the upwelling water and degrades the SGD's effect even on a regional scale.

Estimating recreational fishing tackle loss in Mediterranean coastal areas: Potential impacts on wildlife

This study evaluates the loss of recreational fishing tackle, for the first time, in a Mediterranean coastal area and discusses the potential biological impacts on fish and wildlife from exposure to lead, plastic and other toxic materials from recreational fishing. The estimation of lost fishing gear on the seabed took place over a three-year period (2010, 2011 and 2012) using divers, in two zones (4700 m2 and 5300 m2, respectively). The most abundant were lead weights (sinkers), which made up 36% of the total. Overall, the presence of a multitude of potentially harmful materials in our study area, particularly in shallow waters, demonstrates the importance of conducting studies to determine the actual impact resulting from the loss of recreational fishing tackle so that effective regulatory measures can be developed for this activity. Management concerns about these potential impacts, as well as possible solutions, are discussed.

Landownership Distribution, Socio‐Economic Precariousness and Empowerment: The Role of Small Peasants in Maresme County (Catalonia, Spain) from 1850 to the 1950s

I present fresh data that show the leading role played by smallholder peasants in land‐use intensification, technical improvement and landscape transformation in Maresme County (province of Barcelona, Spain) between 1850 and the 1950s. As a reaction to their precarious situation, caused by an unequal landownership distribution (which is assessed by looking at the minimum‐income and maximum workable farm sizes), smallholders drove agrarian changes in this coastal Mediterranean area. The results of their individual efforts, and their collective action through social mobilization and cooperatives, entailed a socio‐economic and political improvement, especially in denser populated areas closer to markets, until the arrival of Franco's regime.

Mapping Spatial Variations of Land Cover in a Coastal Landscape Using Pattern Metrics

The aim of this study is to analyze spatial variations of land cover using pattern metrics in the case of a Mediterranean coastal area. Various composition and configuration metrics were used to analyze characteristics of land cover and its spatial heterogeneity. Satellite images (i.e., SPOT) were used to classify land cover. Pattern analyses were conducted in Erdemli district of Mersin, Turkey, from coastline to about 200m ASL. Landscape patterns were quantified and mapped on the basis of number of patches (NP), edge density (ED), largest patch index (LPI), aggregation index (AI), Shannon's and Simpson's diversity and evenness indices (SHDI, SIDI, SHEI, SIEI). A relationship between observed patterns/calculated indices and current land uses were investigated. Results showed that many of the pattern features differed between the coast and upper lands due to varying composition and configuration characteristics of land cover types under investigation.

Biological and Ecological Impacts Derived from Recreational Fishing in Mediterranean Coastal Areas

Recreational fishing is a booming activity in Mediterranean coastal areas. Despite generating a variety of impacts on marine resources and ecosystems, there is much less research into recreational fishing than there is into commercial fishing. This is the first study to cover the diverse implications that derive from this activity in Mediterranean coastal areas, and is based on a review of different studies from 15 areas in Spain, France, Italy, and Turkey. This study defines and compares the biological impact of the different recreational fishing methods on Mediterranean marine resources, particularly the most vulnerable and threatened coastal species, and characterizes the emerging and potential indirect ecological impacts on the marine ecosystem of certain aspects of this activity that have not, thus far, been taken into account (e.g., exotic species of bait, fishing gear loss, and bycatch). The results highlight the importance of determining the actual impact resulting from recreational fishing in coastal areas, so that effective regulatory measures can be developed for each mode of fishing.

Are the eulittoral invertebrate assemblages suitable in detecting the effects of sewage discharges in atlantic and mediterranean coastal areas?

Event Abstract Back to Event Are the eulittoral invertebrate assemblages suitable in detecting the effects of sewage discharges in atlantic and mediterranean coastal areas? Joana Cabral-Oliveira1*, Stanislao Bevilacqua2, Antonio Terlizzi2 and Miguel Â. Pardal1 1 CFE- Centre of Functional Ecology, Portugal 2 Laboratory of Zoology and Marine Biology; University of Salento, Italy Coastal areas are under high human pressure, being affected by several sources of impacts, such as sewage effluents. Eulittoral assemblages of intertidal rocky shores are often exposed to sewage discharges. Such assemblages are accessible to sample, and their dominant species are easy to identify and widely distributed. These features make eulittoral assemblages potentially cost-effective in discerning between disturbed and undisturbed environmental conditions. In this study, a first attempt has been made to understand whether such assemblages are a suitable indicator of human impacts related to sewage discharges, able to consistently respond over large spatial scales. Sampling occurred in different environmental (sewage outfall and reference areas) and geographical locations (Atlantic insular, Atlantic mainland and Mediterranean). Multivariate analyses showed that the structure of eulittoral assemblages differed significantly between reference and impacted areas only on the Mediterranean shores. In all shores, limpet populations (genus Patella) appear to be affected by sewage discharge. The response of limpet populations differed between Atlantic and Mediterranean shores, probably due to within-species heterogeneities of ecological traits. Our results suggest that the response of limpets might be strictly context-dependent, thus limiting their potential to serve as general targets in monitoring the effects of sewage impact over large spatial scales. Keywords: nutrient enrichment, Ecological Indicators, eulittoral assemblages, Rocky shores, sewage pollution Conference: IMMR | International Meeting on Marine Research 2014, Peniche, Portugal, 10 Jul - 11 Jul, 2014. Presentation Type: Poster Presentation Topic: BIODIVERSITY, CONSERVATION AND COASTAL MANAGEMENT Citation: Cabral-Oliveira J, Bevilacqua S, Terlizzi A and Pardal M (2014). Are the eulittoral invertebrate assemblages suitable in detecting the effects of sewage discharges in atlantic and mediterranean coastal areas?. Front. Mar. Sci. Conference Abstract: IMMR | International Meeting on Marine Research 2014. doi: 10.3389/conf.fmars.2014.02.00084 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 21 Apr 2014; Published Online: 18 Jul 2014. * Correspondence: Dr. Joana Cabral-Oliveira, CFE- Centre of Functional Ecology, Coimbra, Portugal, joanaco@ci.uc.pt Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Joana Cabral-Oliveira Stanislao Bevilacqua Antonio Terlizzi Miguel  Pardal Google Joana Cabral-Oliveira Stanislao Bevilacqua Antonio Terlizzi Miguel  Pardal Google Scholar Joana Cabral-Oliveira Stanislao Bevilacqua Antonio Terlizzi Miguel  Pardal PubMed Joana Cabral-Oliveira Stanislao Bevilacqua Antonio Terlizzi Miguel  Pardal Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.