Nature and Landscape Conservation, Ecology, Aquatic Science, General Environmental Science
17
Scopus Publications
Scopus Publications
Sustainability practices of accommodation sector representatives: The case of mountain protected area Serra da Estrela Natural Park (Portugal) Ilinca-Valentina Stoica, Luis Santos, Alexandra Cioclu, Ioan-Adrian Toma, Daniela Zamfir Plos One, 2026 Research on the commitment of accommodation representatives to sustainability practices in protected areas is limited. In recent years, digitisation has become increasingly important in promoting places and the decision-making process for travel. However, there is still a lack of knowledge about the accuracy of the sustainability practices claimed by accommodation establishments on online booking platforms. Focusing on Serra da Estrela Natural Park in Portugal as a case study, the current approach is the first one to verify, through interviews with the accommodation representatives, the sustainability practices declared on Booking.com. For deeper insights, the perception of accommodation establishment representatives regarding the role of sustainability in their business is explored. To obtain a comprehensive perspective, a sustainability practice ranking is employed, with the established hierarchy spatially represented through GIS techniques. Even though the results confirmed the largest majority of the reported information on Booking.com, the information is insufficient, as additional practices emerged through interviews. Challenging the results of other studies, the commitment to sustainability is not correlated either with the size of the unit or its degree of comfort, denoting rather a correlation with personal values, beliefs and business strategy. Overall, most respondents express a broader, multi-scalar perspective on sustainability, shaped by their awareness of the businesses’ embeddedness in the natural park, which features outstanding natural values that need preservation. Furthermore, several categories of opinions on the benefits and downsides of developing a business within a protected area are highlighted. A notable finding is that half of the respondents considered the regulations imposed by the protected area status as essential to prevent chaotic development and environmental degradation. However, the interaction with natural park representatives is described as mostly passive, since most respondents have little to no interaction with them, highlighting the need to establish mutually beneficial cooperation and foster pro-sustainability behaviour.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in the Energy and Heating Sectors: Current Practices and Future Directions Mateusz Jakubiak, Katarzyna Sroka, Kamil Maciuk, Amgad Abazeed, Anastasiia Kovalova, et al. Energies, 2026 Dynamic social and legal transformations drive technological innovation and the transition of energy and heating sectors toward renewable sources and higher efficiency. Ensuring the reliable operation of these systems requires regular inspections, fault detection, and infrastructure maintenance. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly being used for monitoring and diagnostics of photovoltaic and wind farms, power transmission lines, and urban heating networks. Based on literature from 2015 to 2025 (Scopus database), this review compares UAV platforms, sensors, and inspection methods, including thermal, RGB/multispectral, LiDAR, and acoustic, highlighting current challenges. The analysis of legal regulations and resulting operational limitations for UAVs, based on the frameworks of the EU, the US, and China, is also presented. UAVs offer high-resolution data, rapid coverage, and cost reduction compared to conventional approaches. However, they face limitations related to flight endurance, weather sensitivity, regulatory restrictions, and data processing. Key trends include multi-sensor integration, coordinated multi-UAV missions, on-board edge-AI analytics, digital twin integration, and predictive maintenance. The study highlights the need to develop standardised data models, interoperable sensor systems, and legal frameworks that enable autonomous operations to advance UAV implementation in energy and heating infrastructure management.
CO2 Emission from Soils Under the Influence of Calcium Carbonate Addition and Polymer Superabsorbent Application Katarzyna Sroka, Paweł Sroka, Luis Santos, Cecilia Baptista Applied Sciences Switzerland, 2025 Superabsorbents are crosslinked polymer networks composed of ionic and non-ionic monomers. Among these, polyacrylates are notable for their capacity to absorb and retain water solutions amounting to several hundred times their own weight. These superabsorbents serve various purposes, particularly in agriculture, where they are employed as soil additives to enhance physical properties and improve moisture retention. Soil respiration is a critical metric that measures the rate of organic matter decomposition and carbon cycling within the soil, both of which are vital for ecosystem functionality. Consequently, assessing the base respiration rate is one of the most prevalent microbiological analyses conducted to evaluate soil quality. This process involves quantifying the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) released from a soil sample over a specified duration. This study demonstrates that the incorporation of polyacrylates into sandy soils, in conjunction with calcium carbonate, results in increased carbon dioxide emissions and a significant elevation in soil pH. Such alkalinization may adversely affect the health of cultivated plants, underscoring the need for careful consideration in soil management practices. In acidic loam/silt loam soils, PAA addition did not further increase CO2 emissions or pH beyond liming alone, whereas in neutral sandy soil, the combination caused a strong CO2 flush and marked alkalisation.
The Influence of Forest Fires on Ecological, Economic, and Social Trends in Landscape Dynamics in Portugal Vasco Lopes, Luis Carreira dos Santos, Juan-M. Trillo-Santamaría Land, 2025 The Portuguese forest plays a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance and fostering socio-economic sustainability within rural areas. Nonetheless, it is currently facing significant challenges due to the increasing intensity and frequency of forest fires observed in recent decades. The deterioration of traditional agricultural practices, the proliferation of monocultures, and alterations in land use patterns have significantly exacerbated these challenges. Consequently, the landscape has undergone considerable transformations, resulting in a decline in biodiversity and a weakening of local economies. This study examines land use in mainland Portugal from 1995 to 2018, utilising data on land occupation, land cover, and burnt areas from the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests. The cartographic analysis of three periods—1995, 2007, and 2018—along with the fire data recorded between 1996 and 2018, enabled the observation of changes in the predominant land use and land cover (LULC) classes, particularly among forests, scrubland, and agricultural areas. The results highlight a significant increase in forested areas, especially eucalyptus, as well as urbanisation, while scrubland and agricultural areas have decreased. Using specific LULC level 4, and burnt (BA) and unburnt (NB) areas, temporary crops decreased substantially (−14% NB/−4% BA 1995–2007; −23% NB by 2018). Eucalyptus showed strong continuous growth (16% NB/35% BA 1995–2007; 23% NB/47% BA 2007–2018). Maritime pine suffered severe losses, especially in burnt areas (−42%/−28%). Cork oak remained stable (1–4% growth). Other oaks showed minimal changes. Bushes (scrubland) declined sharply post-2007 (−31% BA/−6% NB). The most significant transformation occurred between 1995 and 2007, particularly in the south of Portugal, where wildfires promoted the replacement of maritime pine with eucalyptus, a species that offers greater profitability, leading to agricultural abandonment in burned areas.
Tourism sustainability and local governance challenges in a protected mountain area Luis Santos, Ilinca-Valentina Stoica, Alexandra Cioclu, Ioan-Adrian Toma, Daniela Zamfir Journal of Urban and Regional Analysis, 2025 Since the pandemic, protected areas in mountain regions have become increasingly popular tourist destinations. However, mountains are considered fragile in terms of natural and cultural heritage, so a balanced use of resources is needed to develop tourism with long-term benefits for local communities. The present study investigates, through multi-stage research, the perspective of accommodation providers in the Serras D'Aire and Candeeiros Natural Park (PNSAC) (Portugal) regarding sustainable tourism. Data reported on Booking.com, a leading online tourist accommodation platform, in terms of their commitment to predefined sustainability practices was considered. Then, the tourist accommodations were analysed by proposing a ranking through an integrative approach. Additionally, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with accommodation providers to gain a deeper understanding of their journey towards sustainable tourism and its connection with the PNSAC authority as a promoter of this activity. Results emphasise that only 33.3% of the accommodation providers claimed sustainability practices, with 40% categorised as 'inadequate' in the rankings. This indicates that these units implement only a few measures. Content analysis of the interviews highlights commitment to sustainable tourism but also reveals a lack of interaction between accommodation providers and the PNSAC authority. There is, therefore, a disconnect between the two actors, which can be improved by creating an exchange framework. Furthermore, the providers acknowledge the need for collaboration with authorities to promote sustainable tourism, preserve natural resources, and suggest areas for improvement.
Sustainability in Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration: Combining Classical and Remote Sensing Methods for Effective Water Quality Management Robert Mazur, Zbigniew Kowalewski, Ewa Głowienka, Luis Santos, Mateusz Jakubiak Sustainability Switzerland, 2024 The utilization of Effective Microorganisms (EMs) for lake restoration represents a sustainable approach to enhancing water quality and rebalancing the ecology of aquatic ecosystems. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of two bioremediation treatment cycles employing EM-enriched biopreparations on water quality in the Siemiatycze lakes. Specifically, this research analyzed various parameters, including dissolved oxygen, transparency, chlorophyll-a, pH, chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), total phosphorus, total nitrogen, and suspended matter (SM), across eleven designated sampling locations. Additionally, this study employed remote sensing techniques, leveraging Sentinel-2 satellite imagery and the Maximum Chlorophyll Index (MCI), to detect and quantify algal blooms, with a particular focus on elevated chlorophyll-a concentrations. This comprehensive approach aimed to provide a holistic understanding of the impact of biotechnological reclamation on aquatic ecosystem restoration and sustainability. The study’s findings indicated a significant improvement in water quality in all lakes, with enhanced water clarity and oxygen profiles. Further, remote sensing studies indicated a reduction in algal blooms, particularly those with high chlorophyll-a concentrations. A considerable decrease in water eutrophication intensity was observed due to diminished nutrient concentrations. The improvements in water parameters are likely to enhance the living conditions of aquatic organisms. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of using EM-enriched biopreparations in the bioremediation of lakes, providing a sustainable approach to enhancing water quality and balancing aquatic ecosystems.
Environmental Factors Affecting the Efficiency of Water Reservoir Restoration Using Microbiological Biotechnology Robert Mazur, Mateusz Jakubiak, Luís Santos Sustainability Switzerland, 2024 Aquatic ecosystems are often subject to degradation due to various environmental stressors. The accumulation of an organic sediment layer causes shallowing, algal blooms, and hypertrophy in water reservoirs. The processes of overgrowth and shallowing lead to a reduction in the ecosystem services provided by the reservoir as well as potentially causing the disappearance of the water body. To address these challenges and restore the ecological balance of water reservoirs, effective and sustainable revitalisation methods are essential. In recent years, biotechnological approaches, particularly utilizing microbiological interventions, have emerged as promising strategies for water reservoir revitalization. Microorganisms, with their remarkable ability to degrade pollutants and enhance nutrient cycling, offer great potential in remediating environmental issues in a natural and eco-friendly manner. This article presents the results of a study of 33 Polish reservoirs subjected to reclamation with microbial biopreparations from 2014 to 2023. The results of changes in bottom sediment reduction, water transparency, dissolved oxygen concentration, and water turbidity are presented. Reduction in morphological changes in the fraction of soft organic sediments, an improvement in the oxygen profile of the bottom and surface water layers, and an increase in water transparency were observed after reclamation with the use of biopreparations.
The documentary film in the territorial, cultural and literary mediation: the project on the Memories of Azinhaga by Saramago Manuela Sofia Silva, Maria Romana, João Cordeiro, Júlio Silva, Luís Carreira dos Santos, et al. Biblos, 2024 Num amplexo disciplinar que envolveu várias áreas do saber, o projeto MAS incidiu na produção e realização de oito objetos fílmicos consubstanciados em excertos do livro As Pequenas Memórias de José Saramago, onde perpassam paisagens, gentes e afetos da aldeia ribatejana que o viu nascer. Estas curtas-metragens foram pensadas como dispositivo de mediação entre o passado memorial e um presente vivencial, entrecruzando memórias de infância do nobilizado com memórias das pessoas que o recordam e se recordam, reconstruindo na memória o lugar/Azinhaga como património cultural.A exibição das curtas-metragens teve lugar na Azinhaga para um público maioritariamente local, de diferentes gerações, cumprindo a sua função mediadora entre a obra artística e o contexto territorial e patrimonial, tornando-se um espaço de reflexão intercultural e intergeracional.
MDIR Monthly Ignition Risk Maps, an Integrated Open-Source Strategy for Wildfire Prevention Luis Santos, Vasco Lopes, Cecília Baptista Forests, 2022 Countries unaccustomed to wildfires are currently experiencing wildfire as a new climate-change reality. Understanding how fire ignition and propagation are correlated with temperature, orography, humidity, wind, and the mixture and age of individual plants must be considered when designing prevention strategies. While wildfire prevention focuses on fire ignition avoidance, firefighting success depends on early ignition detection, meaning that, in either case, ignition plays a major role. The current case study considered three Portuguese municipalities that annually observe frequent fire ignitions (Tomar, Ourém, and Ferreira do Zêzere) as the testing ground for the Modernized Dynamic Ignition Risk (MDIR) strategy, thus evaluating the efficiency of MDIR and the efficacy of the variables used. This methodology uses geographic information systems technology sustained by open-source satellite imagery, along with the Habitat Risk Assessment model from the InVEST software package, as drivers for the MDIR application. The MDIR approach grants frequent update capabilities and fully open-sourced high ignition risk area identification, producing monthly ignition risk maps. The advantage of using this method is the ease of adaptation to any current monitoring strategy, awarding further efficiency and efficacy in reducing ignitions. The approach delivered adequate results in estimating ignitions for the three Portuguese municipalities, achieving, for several months, prediction accuracy percentages of over 70%. For the studied area, MDIR clearly identifies areas of high ignition risk and delivers an average of 62% success in predicting ignitions, thus showing potential for analyzing the impact of policy implementation and monitoring through the strategy design.
