I am a Marine Ecologist/Biologist with vast experience in both experimental biology and ecological modelling, primarily in the field of marine climate change and its effects and impacts across marine taxa (e.g., including invertebrates such as cephalopods and ascidians, fish and dolphins, microalgae, and intertidal saltmarsh species). Most of my scientific background (2016-2023) has been developed at the Laboratório Marítimo da Guia, which belongs to the Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon (MARE-FCUL). I was a Senior Researcher at AIMM - Marine and Environment Research Association, mainly responsible with data analysis and ecological modelling focused on cetacean species between 2023 and 2024.I have been a Postdoc researcher in the ERC-funded PlAnt Project since October 2024.
EDUCATION
2024 - PhD in Biology, Marine Biology and Aquaculture, by the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon
2017 - MSc in Marine Ecology by the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon
2015 - BSc in Biology - specialization in Environmental (marine) biology, by the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Aquatic Science, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Ecology, Ecological Modeling
Projecting climate change impacts on the distribution of the most captured tuna species on Atlantic waters Priscila M. Silva, Francisco O. Borges, Cristina Pita, José Lino Costa, Célia M. Teixeira Biodiversity and Conservation, 2025 Tunas are among the most valuable marine resources and some of the most popular seafood worldwide, traded on a global scale. Not only do they support the livelihoods of fishers, they also play a crucial ecological role as both predators and prey. The challenges already faced by fisheries governance in managing these highly migratory species are likely to intensify due to climate-induced changes. This study investigates potential shifts in habitat suitability and geographical distribution of the most captured tuna species in the Atlantic Ocean by 2030 and 2050, across three Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) scenarios (i.e., SSP1-2.6, 4–6.0, and 5-8.5; CMIP6) using species distribution models (SDM) through MaxEnt. Its findings indicate the start of a potential poleward shift in tuna distribution as early as 2030, accompanied by significant declines in habitat suitability at lower latitudes. This trend poses a risk of range restriction or even local extinction of this group in equatorial regions. Given the socioeconomic importance of tuna species, predicting their responses to climate change could inform effective management strategies ensuring not only the sustainability of tuna populations but also the livelihoods of the communities that depend on them. Future research should incorporate the potential impact of changing environmental conditions on fishing intensity, as this will further shape the long-term distribution of these species.
Habitat Preference of Risso's Dolphins (Grampus griseus) off the South Coast of Portugal Miguel P. Martins, Fábio L. Matos, André Cid, Guilherme Estrela, Alicia Quirin, et al. Marine Mammal Science, 2025 Information on the occurrence and ecology of Risso's dolphins off the southern coast of Portugal is limited and poorly understood. This study investigated the occurrence of this species in the Algarve via presence‐absence models. In total 63 Risso's dolphin sightings were recorded with an average group size of 10 animals and a presence of immature animals in most groups (73.02%). Generalized Additive Models were fitted to test how static and dynamic oceanographic variables affected Risso's dolphin occurrence between 2010 and 2020, from a presence‐absence dataset. The optimal model showed that Risso's dolphins' probability of occurrence was higher close to the coast, and positively related to sea surface temperature, reaching a maximum presence probability between 22°C and 24°C. A positive but nonsignificant relationship between chlorophyll‐a concentration with 1 month time lag and Risso's dolphin presence was also detected. This study provides a first step to understanding habitat preference of Risso's dolphins in the south of Portugal and identifies this area's importance for the species.
Spatiotemporal trends in abundance and richness of elasmobranchs in Frégate Island, Seychelles Maria V. Lourie, Anna Zora, Oriane Servant, Lauren Searle, Margarida Vizeu-Pinheiro, et al. Marine Biology, 2025 Elasmobranch diversity has been poorly investigated within the Seychelles archipelago. The present study aimed to describe the spatial-temporal changes in the species richness and abundance of elasmobranchs on Frégate Island, Seychelles. Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVS) were performed between May 2019 and December 2022. A total of 18 elasmobranch species were observed, comprising nine sharks and nine rays. Most species face extinction risks according to IUCN criteria; 50% are categorized as Vulnerable, 28% as Endangered, and 11% as Critically Endangered. Higher relative abundances were detected for the grey reef shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos), followed by the nurse shark (Nebrius ferrugineus), short-horned pygmy devil ray (Mobula kuhlii), whitetip reef shark (Triaenodon obesus), and the critically endangered white-spotted guitarfish (Rhyncobatus australiae). While month and year did not affect elasmobranch relative abundance (MaxN), elevated temperatures (~ 30 ºC) significantly reduced elasmobranch MaxN. Moreover, habitat substrate was the best predictor of elasmobranch MaxN. Sharks were often encountered on rock and rubble, while batoids were more likely found on rock and sand. The presence of juvenile tiger sharks was consistent in all sampled years, but with low MaxN values. Our findings highlight the significant conservation concerns for elasmobranch species in the region and emphasize the urgent need for protective measures within the Seychelles Archipelago.
Projecting future climate change impacts on the distribution of pelagic squid in the Southern Ocean MF Guerreiro, CP Santos, FO Borges, CF Santos, JC Xavier, et al. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 2025 Climate change is modifying the biogeography of many marine species. Squid (Cephalopoda) are important species of the Antarctic pelagic ecosystem, one of the areas most affected by climate change at the global level. The scarce knowledge on potential species distribution shifts in the Southern Ocean and the importance of squids in its pelagic ecosystem highlight the need to characterize how climate change may affect the distribution of these cephalopods in the future. Here, we project future trends for the distribution of 15 squid species from the Southern Ocean, using species distribution models (for the years 2050 and 2100) across 2 scenarios based on the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP1-2.6 and SSP5-8.5). A decline in habitat suitability at lower latitudes was observed for most squids, with no concurrent habitat increase at higher latitudes, mainly due to increases in temperature and sea ice retreat. Nevertheless, while Antarctic and subantarctic squid are projected to experience decreases in habitat suitability, subtropical and cosmopolitan squid may experience increases. The squids Histioteuthis atlantica, Teuthowenia pellucida, Todarodes filippovae and Bathyteuthis abyssicola are candidate winners, while Onykia ingens, O. robsoni, Martialia hyadesi, Gonatus antarcticus, H. eltaninae, Slosarczykovia circumantarctica, Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, Alluroteuthis antarcticus, Galiteuthis glacialis, Psychroteuthis glacialis and (specially) Moroteuthopsis longimana could lose to climate change. These changes may entail substantial implications for the trophic ecology of the Southern Ocean. Furthermore, squid movement into new ecosystems may increase top-down pressure over lower trophic levels, adding to the abiotic pressures implicit in climate change.
Shifts in the habitat suitability for large hammerhead sharks under climate change Catarina Pereira Santos, Francisco Oliveira Borges, Miguel Guerreiro, Vasco Pissarra, Jaquelino Varela, et al. Marine Biology, 2024 One of the chief consequences of climate change is the worldwide redistribution of species in the pursuit of physiologically and ecologically favourable conditions. As part of one of the most threatened groups of vertebrates, assessing how climate change may affect the distribution patterns of key shark species is essential for their long-term conservation and management. The present study aims to assess how climate change projections (based on the representative concentration pathways 2.6, 4.5, 6.0, and 8.5) for the middle and end of the century may affect the global patterns of habitat suitability (HS) for large hammerhead sharks – a unique and particularly threatened group of elasmobranchs. Here, a decline in the global average HS is projected for both Sphyrna lewini and Sphyrna zygaena, with the scale of HS decline generally increasing with time and RCP severity, while a global increase in HS is generally projected for Sphyrna mokarran, albeit reduced over the long-term and overturned under long-term RCP8.5. Meanwhile, poleward shifts are projected for all three species, with considerable tropical declines for both S. lewini and S. zygaena. Additionally, regional shifts in suitability have the potential to affect population connectivity, the access to key habitats, and levels of exposure to other anthropogenic pressures, along with the effectiveness of conservation and management efforts. Taken together, these results showcase the importance of climate change for species’ extinction risk assessments and the urgency of the consideration of climate change within the design and implementation of conservation measures.
Transgenerational exposure to deoxygenation and warming disrupts mate detection in Gammarus locusta Beatriz P Pereira, Simon Neff, Francisco O Borges, Eve Otjacques, Guilherme Barreto, et al. Behavioral Ecology, 2024 Ocean deoxygenation and warming have been shown to pose a growing threat to the health of marine organisms and ecosystems. Yet, the potential for acclimation and adaptation remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of transgenerational exposure to reduced oxygen availability and elevated seawater temperature on the chemosensory-dependent mating mechanisms of male amphipods Gammarus locusta. Three subsequent generations were exposed to four experimental treatments for 30 days: 1) present-day scenario, 2) warming; 3) deoxygenation; and 4) warming + deoxygenation. After exposure, the number of individuals that reached adulthood was gauged, and adult males from F0 and F1 were subjected to behavioral trials to assess their capacity of long-distance female cue detection through quantification of response time, the first direction of movement, activity rate, and proportion of time spent in female scent cues. Ocean warming induced mortality, and reduced oxygen availability had adverse effects on each of the investigated behavioral traits, which were amplified when combined with elevated temperature. Still, when compared with F0, the F1 generation demonstrated more adaptability (i.e., higher activity rate and preference for female odors) to the combination of the two stressors, suggesting positive carry-over effects. Nevertheless, full recovery to control levels was not observed. Altogether, this study indicates that future scenarios of ocean deoxygenation and warming have the potential to disrupt chemosensory-dependent mate detection in amphipods, but also suggests possible behavioral adaptations. We call for greater research efforts on long-term impacts of ocean change on the behavioral and physiological processes of benthic coastal communities.
Climate-Change Impacts on Cephalopods: A Meta-Analysis Francisco O Borges, Eduardo Sampaio, Catarina P Santos, Rui Rosa Integrative and Comparative Biology, 2023 Synopsis Aside from being one of the most fascinating groups of marine organisms, cephalopods play a major role in marine food webs, both as predators and as prey, while representing key living economic assets, namely for artisanal and subsistence fisheries worldwide. Recent research suggests that cephalopods are benefitting from ongoing environmental changes and the overfishing of certain fish stocks (i.e., of their predators and/or competitors), putting forward the hypothesis that this group may be one of the few “winners” of climate change. While many meta-analyses have demonstrated negative and overwhelming consequences of ocean warming (OW), acidification (OA), and their combination for a variety of marine taxa, such a comprehensive analysis is lacking for cephalopod molluscs. In this context, the existing literature was surveyed for peer-reviewed articles featuring the sustained (≥24 h) and controlled exposure of cephalopod species (Cephalopoda class) to these factors, applying a comparative framework of mixed-model meta-analyses (784 control-treatment comparisons, from 47 suitable articles). Impacts on a wide set of biological categories at the individual level (e.g., survival, metabolism, behavior, cell stress, growth) were evaluated and contrasted across different ecological attributes (i.e., taxonomic lineages, climates, and ontogenetic stages). Contrary to what is commonly assumed, OW arises as a clear threat to cephalopods, while OA exhibited more restricted impacts. In fact, OW impacts were ubiquitous across different stages of ontogeny, taxonomical lineages (i.e., octopuses, squids, and cuttlefish). These results challenge the assumption that cephalopods benefit from novel ocean conditions, revealing an overarching negative impact of OW in this group. Importantly, we also identify lingering literature gaps, showing that most studies to date focus on OW and early life stages of mainly temperate species. Our results raise the need to consolidate experimental efforts in a wider variety of taxa, climate regions, life stages, and other key environmental stressors, such as deoxygenation and hypoxia, to better understand how cephalopods will cope with future climate change.
Environmental Influence on Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Abundance in Southern Portugal M Vizeu-Pinheiro, E Rogan, A Cid, J Castro, FO Borges Regional Studies in Marine Science, 104569 , 2025 2025 Citations: 2
Projecting climate change impacts on the distribution of the most captured tuna species on Atlantic waters PM Silva, FO Borges, C Pita, JL Costa, CM Teixeira Biodiversity and Conservation 34 (10), 3633-3656 , 2025 2025 Citations: 4
Spatiotemporal trends in abundance and richness of elasmobranchs in Frégate Island, Seychelles MV Lourie, A Zora, O Servant, L Searle, M Vizeu-Pinheiro, F Borges, ... Marine Biology 172 (7), 118 , 2025 2025 Citations: 3
Projecting future climate change impacts on the distribution of pelagic squid in the Southern Ocean MF Guerreiro, CP Santos, FO Borges, CF Santos, JC Xavier, R Rosa Marine Ecology Progress Series 757, 85-98 , 2025 2025 Citations: 2
Habitat Preference of Risso's Dolphins (Grampus griseus) off the South Coast of Portugal MP Martins, FL Matos, A Cid, G Estrela, A Quirin, FO Borges, J Castro Marine Mammal Science, e70001 , 2025 2025 Citations: 4
Shifts in the habitat suitability for large hammerhead sharks under climate change CP Santos, FO Borges, M Guerreiro, V Pissarra, J Varela, ... Marine Biology 171 (12), 226 , 2024 2024 Citations: 3
Impacts of climate change on cephalopods F Borges 2024
Global biodiversity and biogeography of coastal octopuses R Rosa, M Amor, F Borges, IG Gleadall, V Pissarra, R Villanueva, ... Octopus Biology and Ecology, 19-28 , 2024 2024 Citations: 7
Past, present, and future trends in octopus research R Rosa, CP Santos, F Borges, P Amodio, M Amor, JR Bower, RL Caldwell, ... Octopus Biology and Ecology, 421-454 , 2024 2024 Citations: 5
Transgenerational exposure to deoxygenation and warming disrupts mate detection in Gammarus locusta BP Pereira, S Neff, FO Borges, E Otjacques, G Barreto, M Ranucci, ... Behavioral Ecology 35 (1), arad102 , 2024 2024 Citations: 2
Future distribution patterns of nine cuttlefish species under climate change M Fernandes Guerreiro, F Oliveira Borges, C Pereira Santos, R Rosa Marine Biology 170 (12), 159 , 2023 2023 Citations: 10
Climate-change impacts on Cephalopods: a meta-analysis FO Borges, E Sampaio, CP Santos, R Rosa Integrative and Comparative Biology 63 (6), 1240-1265 , 2023 2023 Citations: 28
Impact of climate change on the distribution and habitat suitability of the world’s main commercial squids MF Guerreiro, FO Borges, CP Santos, JC Xavier, HJ Hoving, R Rosa Marine Biology 170 (10), 129 , 2023 2023 Citations: 19
Gymnodinium catenatum Paralytic Shellfish Toxin Production and Photobiological Responses under Marine Heat Waves VM Lopes, M Court, MC Seco, FO Borges, B Vicente, S Lage, AC Braga, ... Toxins 15 (2), 157 , 2023 2023 Citations: 5
Impacts of Climate Change on the Biogeography of Three Amnesic Shellfish Toxin Producing Diatom Species FO Borges, VM Lopes, CF Santos, PR Costa, R Rosa Toxins 15 (1), 9 , 2022 2022 Citations: 7
Projecting future climate change impacts on the distribution of the ‘Octopus vulgaris species complex’ FO Borges, M Guerreiro, CP Santos, JR Paula, R Rosa Frontiers in Marine Science 9, 1018766 , 2022 2022 Citations: 31
Impacts of Climate Change Impacts on the Biogeography of three Amnesic Shellfish Toxin-producing Diatom species FO Borges, VM Lopes, CF Santos, PR Costa, R Rosa 2022 Citations: 1
Integrative approaches to understanding organismal responses to aquatic deoxygenation HA Woods, AL Moran, D Atkinson, A Audzijonyte, M Berenbrink, ... The Biological Bulletin 243 (2), 85-103 , 2022 2022 Citations: 41
Impacts of low oxygen on marine life: neglected, but a crucial priority for research FO Borges, E Sampaio, CP Santos, R Rosa The Biological Bulletin 243 (2), 104-119 , 2022 2022 Citations: 53
Projecting Future Climate Change-Mediated Impacts in Three Paralytic Shellfish Toxins-Producing Dinoflagellate Species FO Borges, VM Lopes, A Amorim, CF Santos, PR Costa, R Rosa Biology 11 (10), 1424 , 2022 2022 Citations: 18
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Global patterns of species richness in coastal cephalopods R Rosa, V Pissarra, FO Borges, J Xavier, IG Gleadall, A Golikov, G Bello, ... Frontiers in Marine Science 6, 469 , 2019 2019 Citations: 71
Impacts of low oxygen on marine life: neglected, but a crucial priority for research FO Borges, E Sampaio, CP Santos, R Rosa The Biological Bulletin 243 (2), 104-119 , 2022 2022 Citations: 53
Transgenerational deleterious effects of ocean acidification on the reproductive success of a keystone crustacean (Gammarus locusta) FO Borges, C Figueiredo, E Sampaio, R Rosa, TF Grilo Marine environmental research 138, 55-64 , 2018 2018 Citations: 53
Elasmobranch responses to experimental warming, acidification, and oxygen loss—A meta-analysis CP Santos, E Sampaio, BP Pereira, MR Pegado, FO Borges, CR Wheeler, ... Frontiers in Marine Science 8, 735377 , 2021 2021 Citations: 52
Assessing the Behavioural Responses of Small Cetaceans to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles J Castro, FO Borges, A Cid, MI Laborde, R Rosa, HC Pearson Remote Sensing 13 (1), 156 , 2021 2021 Citations: 51
Integrative approaches to understanding organismal responses to aquatic deoxygenation HA Woods, AL Moran, D Atkinson, A Audzijonyte, M Berenbrink, ... The Biological Bulletin 243 (2), 85-103 , 2022 2022 Citations: 41
Invasion and extirpation potential of native and invasive Spartina species under climate change FO Borges, CDCP Santos, JR Paula, E Mateos-Naranjo, ... Frontiers in Marine Science, 1157 , 2021 2021 Citations: 41
Oceanographic Determinants of the Abundance of Common Dolphins ( Delphinus delphis ) in the South of Portugal J Castro, A Couto, FO Borges, A Cid, MI Laborde, HC Pearson, R Rosa Oceans 1 (3), 12 , 2020 2020 Citations: 32
Projecting future climate change impacts on the distribution of the ‘Octopus vulgaris species complex’ FO Borges, M Guerreiro, CP Santos, JR Paula, R Rosa Frontiers in Marine Science 9, 1018766 , 2022 2022 Citations: 31
Climate-change impacts on Cephalopods: a meta-analysis FO Borges, E Sampaio, CP Santos, R Rosa Integrative and Comparative Biology 63 (6), 1240-1265 , 2023 2023 Citations: 28
Transgenerational exposure to ocean acidification induces biochemical distress in a keystone amphipod species (Gammarus locusta) AR Lopes, FO Borges, C Figueiredo, E Sampaio, M Diniz, R Rosa, ... Environmental research 170, 168-177 , 2019 2019 Citations: 28
Ocean warming and acidification may challenge the riverward migration of glass eels FO Borges, CP Santos, E Sampaio, C Figueiredo, JR Paula, C Antunes, ... Biology Letters 15 (1) , 2019 2019 Citations: 28
Hypercapnia-induced disruption of long-distance mate-detection and reduction of energy expenditure in a coastal keystone crustacean FO Borges, E Sampaio, C Figueiredo, R Rosa, TF Grilo Physiology & behavior 195, 69-75 , 2018 2018 Citations: 23
Impact of climate change on the distribution and habitat suitability of the world’s main commercial squids MF Guerreiro, FO Borges, CP Santos, JC Xavier, HJ Hoving, R Rosa Marine Biology 170 (10), 129 , 2023 2023 Citations: 19
Projecting Future Climate Change-Mediated Impacts in Three Paralytic Shellfish Toxins-Producing Dinoflagellate Species FO Borges, VM Lopes, A Amorim, CF Santos, PR Costa, R Rosa Biology 11 (10), 1424 , 2022 2022 Citations: 18
First indication of deleterious impacts in white-seabream larvae ( Diplodus sargus ) survival and behaviour following acute venlafaxine exposure A Rodrigues, FO Borges, V Pissarra, A Luísa Maulvault, JR Paula, ... Ecotoxicology 28 (6), 612-618 , 2019 2019 Citations: 12
Future distribution patterns of nine cuttlefish species under climate change M Fernandes Guerreiro, F Oliveira Borges, C Pereira Santos, R Rosa Marine Biology 170 (12), 159 , 2023 2023 Citations: 10
Global biodiversity and biogeography of coastal octopuses R Rosa, M Amor, F Borges, IG Gleadall, V Pissarra, R Villanueva, ... Octopus Biology and Ecology, 19-28 , 2024 2024 Citations: 7
Impacts of Climate Change on the Biogeography of Three Amnesic Shellfish Toxin Producing Diatom Species FO Borges, VM Lopes, CF Santos, PR Costa, R Rosa Toxins 15 (1), 9 , 2022 2022 Citations: 7
Past, present, and future trends in octopus research R Rosa, CP Santos, F Borges, P Amodio, M Amor, JR Bower, RL Caldwell, ... Octopus Biology and Ecology, 421-454 , 2024 2024 Citations: 5