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Ana Marta Gonçalves

University of Coimbra

Dr. Ana Marta Gonçalves obtained a Ph.D. in Biology with a specialty in Ecology from the University of Coimbra, Portugal, in collaboration with Ghent University, Belgium, in 2011. Since 2019, she has been an auxiliary researcher at the Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra. During her research career, Dr. Gonçalves obtained several grants in highly international competitive calls, including the 2008 MARS award for young scientists funded by the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) and the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) grants, and an honorable mention for the Impact of International Publications in 2022, according to Web of Science, by the Director of the Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra. She was a member of the board of directors of the research unit Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (MARE). Currently, she is the chair of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) Europe Education Committee, coordinator of LTsER Estuaries platform, eLTER coordinator of the Working Group Sites and Platform Forum (SPF) Training Group, member of the board of directors of IMAR – Institute of Sea, an associate member (representative) of the EuroMarine and IMBRSea networks, and a coordinator of La Caixa Foundation fellowship programs. Since 2016, Dr. Gonçalves has been a member of the Scientific Council of Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra. She is a journal editor and reviewer and has edited one book. Dr. Gonçalves is an advisory board member for Food Sciences and Technology and Toxicology. She is also a coordinator and research member of several national and international projects. She holds various administrative and science management positions in international networks. Dr. Gonçalves has supervised more than 140 graduate and post-graduate students and published more than 114 indexed papers and more than 55 book chapters. Dr. Gonçalves develops her work in the field of biological sciences, in the frontier of aquatic ecology and ecotoxicology, and biochemical pathways, assessing potential changes in trophic food webs, from primary producers to top predators, exposed to chemical stressors and climatic changes. She also researches marine biotechnology and the valorization of marine resources with industrial applications like food, biomedicine, pharmaceutical and agriculture novel products. Dr. Gonçalves dedicates part of her time to health and ocean literacy and environmental education. Her areas of specialization include marine biotechnology aquatic ecotoxicology, trophic food webs, global changes, anthropogenic impacts, microplastic pollution, biochemical analysis (fatty acid and carbohydrate profiles, proteins), biomarkers, bioindicators, aquatic ecology, estuarine plankton dynamics, long-term changes of plankton communities, aquaculture, and environmental education.

Ana Marta Gonçalves

1books edited

2chapters authored

Latest work with IntechOpen by Ana Marta Gonçalves

Marine ecosystems are very productive and include the open ocean, the deep-sea ocean, and coastal marine ecosystems, each of which has different physical and biological characteristics. The biodiversity of some of these ecosystems is very rich and abundant, offering unique opportunities for high-yield production of proteinaceous material, which is a source of high-quality foods. Biodiversity is fundamental to sustaining marine ecosystem services, such as food security, maintenance of water quality, and recovery from perturbations, which are currently being threatened worldwide. The main threats to marine biodiversity are habitat loss, eutrophication, overexploitation, pollution by hazardous substances, introduction of non-native species, and other human activities. Efforts to reduce these pressures are essential for coastal water quality, recovery of ecosystem services, global food security, and ecosystem stability. Bioindicators are important tools to be used as early warning signals to detect the presence of natural and chemical stressors when monitoring and managing ecosystems and thus promoting ecosystem health. The protection of biodiversity is a major target of the European Union Marine Strategy Framework Directive, requiring an assessment of the status of biodiversity on the level of species, habitats, and ecosystems, including genetic diversity and the role of biodiversity in food web structure and functioning. The restoration of marine ecosystems can support the productivity and reliability of goods and services that the ocean provides to humankind to maintain ecosystem integrity and stability. Some of the goods produced by the marine ecosystem services are fish harvests, wild plant and animal resources, water, and services that provide recreation, tourism, breeding and nursery habitats, water transport, carbon sequestration, erosion control, and habitat provision. This book comprises six chapters that discuss the ecological, economic, and social roles of a variety of organisms, from primary producers to consumers, relating these roles with water quality and conservation of estuarine and marine ecosystems and thus the contribution to human health.

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Marine Ecosystems IntechOpen
Marine Ecosystems Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services and Human Im... Edited by Ana Marta Gonçalves

Marine Ecosystems

Edited by Ana Marta Gonçalves

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