Soil water erosion causes soil degradation, affecting its fertility and, consequently, leading to the loss of its productive capacity and may contribute to a process of desertification. Countries in the Mediterranean basin are under the influence of a climate pattern that is unfavorable to maintaining effective soil cover, with peak precipitation events occurring, and an increase in soil erosion rates is expected in changing scenarios. Climate, where the occurrence of extreme meteorological phenomena will be more frequent. The aim of this study is to evaluate the present situation and estimate the future soil erosion risk of in the upper region of the Portuguese part of the Tagus River basin, where agricultural use and livestock activities are dominant in soils that are highly susceptible to erosion. The soil loss estimation was carried out for the current situation and for the climatic conditions projected for 2050, considering two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5). We use the RUSLE methodology to determine the risk of soil water erosion. Although annual precipitation decreases for both RCPs, the erosivity index will increase in both scenarios. Our findings provide insights into the consequences of socioeconomic development options on physical land degradation and loss. To understand the process of soil water erosion, using modeling and other tools, is very important for the design of policy instruments that minimize the effects of climate change on soil.

The Land Use Land Cover (LULC) pattern is fundamental to the structural framework of landscapes, playing a key role in effective landscape management. Additionally, the growing impact of human activities on the ecological environment has become a significant concern. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between human disturbance intensity and the configuration and quality of landscape patterns. The objectives were to analyze the spatiotemporal dynamics of landscape changes and human disturbance associated with land-use changes in Continental Portugal from 1990 to 2018 and to examine how landscape change trajectories relate to human disturbance and naturalness metrics, assessing their potential as sustainability indicators. Landscape configuration was evaluated by using various land-use metrics, including Mean Patch Size, Mean Shape Index, Total Edge, and Mean Patch Fractal Dimension. These metrics were derived from LULC data obtained from the Corine Land Cover databases (1990, 2006, and 2018). Patch and landscape-level metrics were calculated for 163 quadrats of 25 km2 each, covering the country, using the Patch Analyst plugin in ArcGIS 10.8. The Hemeroby Index (HI) was used to quantify the degree of human-induced disturbance in the landscape. Correlation analysis was performed to identify statistical relationships between changes in landscape metrics and HI. The results revealed a negative correlation between the Total Edge metric changes and human disturbance, suggesting that greater landscape complexity corresponds to lower disturbance levels. These findings support using landscape metrics as indicators of human disturbance, aligning with previous research. Integrating structural and quality indicators can provide valuable insights for planners and decision-makers, aiding in analyzing regional land-use trends and supporting sustainable landscape management.

With its potential to conserve environmental values, integrate local communities, boost sustainable development, generate jobs, improve infrastructure, and support the local economy, nature-based tourism is a significant source of income for local communities, stimulating entrepreneurship and economic diversification. Based on this principle, this study aims to assess the potential of existing natural resources in the Centro Interior region that can anchor the creation of tourism products that respect the fundamental criteria of nature-based tourism. Identifying areas suitable for developing tourism activities and their constraints was based on integrating a set of criteria using multicriteria spatial analysis tools in a GIS environment. The following descriptors were integrated: the bird and plant richness, target species of plants and animals, protected areas, landscape diversity, hemeroby level, geologic values, road network, accommodation offer, existing water bodies and watercourses, and pedestrian routes. The criteria were classified into three suitability levels by applying the Hierarchical Analytical Process. The results indicate the region’s favorable conditions for engaging in nature-based activities. The study, with its comprehensive analysis, suggests that the information produced could prove valuable in formulating new policies to enhance the value of natural assets through tourism, empowering stakeholders and policymakers to make informed decisions for the Centro Interior region.

This study aimed to forecast trends in swimming world records (WRs) and in the age of record holders. A total of 566 individual freestyle WRs (290 for males and 276 for females) were retrieved from open access websites. The frequency of observations in WRs in each decade and event was computed for males and females. The swimmers’ chronological age was converted into decimal age at the time of breaking the world record. ARIMA forecasting models and exponential smoothing techniques were used to examine historical trends and predict future observations. The WRs improved over time, and there was a nuanced pattern in the age of world record holders. While certain events (50 m and 100 m) showed swimmers achieving records at older ages, others (e.g., 200 m, 400 m, 800 m, and 1500 m) displayed variations. Forecasting shows a continuing improvement in WRs in the upcoming years, with the age of male world record holders stabilizing in shorter events and decreasing in longer distance ones, while for females, general stabilization should be expected for the majority of competitive events.

This study intends to verify how the alteration of the landscape configuration, represented by different metrics of configuration and diversity, is related to the intensity of human disturbance. The objectives of the study are: (1) to quantify the change in land use/land cover (LULC) patterns and the degree of human disturbance in Serbia between 2000 and 2018, and (2) to study the relationship between LULC configuration and the impact resulting from human disturbance under different levels of intensity, to understand how changing trends in landscape pattern can serve as indicators to estimate landscape changes resulting from human actions. The Hemeroby Index (HI) was calculated to quantify the impacts on ecosystems resulting from disturbance caused by human actions. Based on the analysis of the variation in the value corresponding to the HI for the period between 2000 and 2018, the level of naturalness increased by only 5% of the territory of Serbia, with this change being verified mainly in SE Serbia. The landscape pattern was quantified using a set of LULC metrics. We used the Spearman method to identify the existing statistical correlations between the geometric parameters of the landscape and the HIs values. At the landscape level, the Mean Shape Index, Edge Density, Mean Patch Fractal Dimension, and Shannon Diversity Index show a strong negative correlation with HI. This correlation suggests that landscapes with greater structural complexity are good indicators of low levels of hemeroby. At the class level, Edge Density and Mean Patch Size correlate significantly with the HI for artificial surfaces, agricultural areas, forests, and semi-natural areas.

The land use/land cover pattern of landscapes as the main element of the landscape structure has an important role in landscape management, nature conservation, and preservation, considering its ability to provide valuable information about the spatial distribution and changes in land cover that occur on the Earth's surface. On the other hand, human activities have caused significant impacts on ecosystems, resulting in a loss of biodiversity, increased risks of erosion and soil degradation, and wildfires. In the last few decades, the growing trend of occurrence of negative effects on land use/land cover has not contributed to the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs), considering that the relationship between humankind and the environment is an extremely fragile equilibrium. In recent decades, large-scale land use and land cover (LULC) patterns have shown stability, but there have been significant dynamics observed specifically in forest areas and agricultural land. Among these changes, the conversion of maritime pine to eucalyptus stands out as the most relevant transition in terms of forest and agroforestry use classes. This conversion is a result of economic incentives available, which have contributed to the gain in forested areas. This study intends to verify how the alteration of the landscape configuration, represented by different metrics of configuration and diversity, is related to the intensity of human disturbance. The objectives of the study are: (1) to quantify the change in land use/land cover (LULC) patterns and the degree of human disturbance in Mainland Portugal between 1990 and 2018, and (2) to study the relationship between LULC configuration and the impact resulting from human disturbance under different levels of intensity, to understand how changing trends in landscape pattern can serve as indicators to estimate landscape changes resulting from human actions. The Hemeroby index (HI) was calculated to quantify the impacts on ecosystems resulting from disturbance caused by human actions. Based on the Hemeroby index value analysis for the period between 1990 and 2018, the level of naturalness increased in 58% of the country, mainly in the south and east of Portugal. The landscape pattern was quantified using a set of metrics, namely Mean Patch Size (MPS), Mean Shape Index (MSI), Total Edge (TE), Mean Patch Fractal Dimension (MPFD), and Mean Perimeter-Area Ratio (MPAR). To identify the existing statistical correlations between the geometric parameters of the landscape and the HIs values, the Spearman method was used. At the landscape level, the metrics TE and MSI have a strong negative correlation with HI. This suggests that landscapes with greater structural complexity are good indicators of low levels of hemeroby. At the class level, edge density (ED) and mean patch size (MPS) showed a significant correlation with the Hemeroby index for seminatural areas (all metrics), artificial surfaces and forests (TE, MSI, and MPS), agricultural areas (TE, MPS, and MPFD), and Bare Ground (TE, MSI, and MPFD).

Land units refer to coherent spatial areas characterized by a degree of homogeneity concerning certain properties like geology, soils, and climate. The Land use mosaic corresponds to a circumstantial layer representing the landscape's present state, depicting the present resource allocation factors. Nevertheless, the stable potential layer is related to the stable characteristics of each site and allows the identification of use constraints or potentials. In this study, we use a methodology based on the land unit concept to define a stable potential layer at a regional level. Therefore, land units were delimited for the Central region of Portugal, resulting from the combination of geomorphology, soil parent material, and bioclimatic influence. For each land unit representative sample areas were characterized in terms of their land use mosaic characteristics. For that purpose, selected landscape metrics were used to quantify the land use mosaic geometrical attributes: Shannon's Diversity Index, Edge Density, Mean Patch Size, and Number of Patches. The existing land use types were also quantified. Finally, a cluster analysis was performed to define groups of samples representing the land units with similar land-use mosaic types. The landscape metrics that best explain the influence of the permanent structure of the territory on the circumstantial structure of use are Shannon's Diversity Index, Edge Density, and Number of Patches. The highest diversity land cover patterns are located in formations with a lithology rich to very rich in silica under Mesomediterranean dry to subhumid climate. The validation of the previously defined land units confirmed the reliability of the proposed methodology, with most of the land units strongly influencing the land use mosaic. The delimitation and characterization of homogeneous land units are useful for the definition of soil suitability and for the choice of the most appropriate uses and activities by the stakeholders.

Climate change induces a redistribution of life on Earth that affects the effectiveness of protected areas. Species shift their ranges under climate change to track suitable climate, mainly shifting poleward and toward higher elevation. They often face degraded habitats in human-dominated landscapes and a higher extinction threat. Also, climate change may result in the loss of combinations of climatic conditions that are restricted to a given protected area. On the other hand, species with restricted occurrence might expand their distribution range as a result of climate change. In order to study the effectiveness of Tagus International Nature Park, located in the center-eastern part of Portugal, Maxent modeling approach was used to model the current distribution of three shrub species-Pistacia terebinthus L., Juniperus oxycedrus L., and Rhamnus lycioides L.-indicators of a typical Mediterranean vegetation with a regional distribution restricted to the Tagus International Natural Park, and project its future distribution considering different General Circulation Models, periods (2060 and 2080) and Representative Concentration Pathways (4.5 and 8.5). The variables most impacting the species distribution were the mean precipitation of the driest quarter, annual precipitation, mean annual temperature, and slope. The results suggested some range expansion in the future for all three species in the studied scenarios. Those species and the vegetation where they occur will probably remain confined to center-eastern Portugal in the future, where they will continue to face relevant threats like human activity, reinforcing the need for its conservation.

Land units refer to coherent spatial areas characterized by a degree of homogeneity concerning certain properties like geology, soils, and climate. The Land use mosaic corresponds to a circumstantial layer representing the landscape’s present state, depicting the present resource allocation factors. Nevertheless, the stable potential layer is related to the stable characteristics of each site and allows the identification of use constraints or potentials. In this study, we use a methodology based on the land unit concept to define a stable potential layer at a regional level. Therefore, land units were delimited for the Central region of Portugal, resulting from the combination of geomorphology, soil parent material, and bioclimatic influence. For each land unit representative sample areas were characterized in terms of their land use mosaic characteristics. For that purpose, selected landscape metrics were used to quantify the land use mosaic geometrical attributes: Shannon’s Diversity Index, Edge Density, Mean Patch Size, and Number of Patches. The existing land use types were also quantified. Finally, a cluster analysis was performed to define groups of samples representing the land units with similar land-use mosaic types. The landscape metrics that best explain the influence of the permanent structure of the territory on the circumstantial structure of use are Shannon's Diversity Index, Edge Density, and Number of Patches. The highest diversity land cover patterns are located in formations with a lithology rich to very rich in silica under Mesomediterranean dry to subhumid climate. The validation of the previously defined land units confirmed the reliability of the proposed methodology, with most of the land units strongly influencing the land use mosaic. The delimitation and characterization of homogeneous land units are useful for the definition of soil suitability and for the choice of the most appropriate uses and activities by the stakeholders.

The land use/land cover pattern of landscapes as the main element of the landscape structure has an important role in landscape management, nature conservation, and preservation, considering its ability to provide valuable information about the spatial distribution and changes in land cover that occur on the Earth's surface. On the other hand, human activities have caused significant impacts on ecosystems, resulting in a loss of biodiversity, increased risks of erosion and soil degradation, and wildfires. In the last few decades, the growing trend of occurrence of negative effects on land use/land cover has not contributed to the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs), considering that the relationship between humankind and the environment is an extremely fragile equilibrium. In recent decades, large-scale land use and land cover (LT.JLC) patterns have shown stability, but there have been significant dynamics observed specifically in forest areas and agricultural land. Among these changes, the conversion of maritime pine to eucalyptus stands out as the most relevant transition in terms of forest and agroforestry use classes. This conversion is a result of economic incentives available, which have contributed to the gain in forested areas. This study intends to verify how the alteration of the landscape configuration, represented by different metrics of configuration and diversity, is related to the intensity of human disturbance. The objectives of the study are: (1) to quantify the change in land use/land cover (LT.JLC) patterns and the degree of human disturbance in Mainland Portugal between 1990 and 2018, and (2) to study the relationship between LT.JLC configuration and the impact resulting from human disturbance under different levels of intensity, to understand how changing trends in landscape pattern can serve as indicators to estimate landscape changes resulting from human actions. The Hemeroby index (HI) was calculated to quantify the impacts on ecosystems resulting from disturbance caused by human actions. Based on the Hemeroby index value analysis for the period between 1990 and 2018, the level of naturalness increased in 58% of the country, mainly in the south and east of Portugal. The landscape pattern was quantified using a set of metrics, namely Mean Patch Size (MPS), Mean Shape Index (MSI), Total Edge (TE), Mean Patch Fractal Dimension (MPFD), and Mean Perimeter-Area Ratio (MPAR). To identify the existing statistical correlations between the geometric parameters of the landscape and the HIs values, the Spearman method was used. At the landscape level, the metrics TE and MSI have a strong negative correlation with HI. This suggests that landscapes with greater structural complexity are good indicators of low levels of hemeroby. At the class level, edge density (ED) and mean patch size (MPS) showed a significant correlation with the Hemeroby index for seminatural areas (all metrics), artificial surfaces and forests (TE, MSI, and MPS), agricultural areas (TE, MPS, and MPFD), and Bare Ground (TE, MSI, and MPFD).

Biophysical land planning aims to choose the land uses according to soil suitability, contributing to integrated and economically sustainable land use. Suitability is a measure of how well the qualities of a land unit match the requirements of a particular form of land use. The process of land suitability classification is the evaluation and grouping of specific land areas in terms of their suitability for a defined benefit. In this chapter, the authors intended to determine the different levels of suitability for land use in the subregion of Beira Baixa, located in the center of Portugal, near the border with Spain. To this effect, the authors present a land suitability model based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) that incorporates a set of climate, soil, and topographic variables. Implementing this spatial data analysis approach could be valuable for stakeholders in land use planning and management.

The land use and land cover pattern of landscapes are key elements of basic landscape structure; accordingly, this pattern has an important role in landscape management, nature conservation and preservation. In the other hand the human impact on the ecological environment has attracted a significant amount of attention. In this study, hemeroby index (HI) was used to quantify the degree of human disturbance, and the relationship between HI and landscape pattern metrics was explored in a region of Central Portugal. The main objectives of this study were to analyze the temporal and spatial characteristics of landscape pattern, and its relationship with different degrees of human disturbance. The Spearman’s correlations were determined to reveal the statistical connections between the landscape metric parameters and the HI values. At a landscape level the Mean Perimeter-Area Ratio (MPAR) showed a significant statistical connection with the HI. At a class level most of the metrics can be used to estimate the spatial changes of the hemeroby level, with Mean Patch Size (MPS) and Mean Perimeter-Area Ratio (MPAR) showing significant statistical connection with the hemeroby index, for agricultural areas, pastures and seminatural areas.

The overuse of natural resources by humanity in recent decades has resulted in noticeable changes environment quality. Global environmental research is particularly interested in the topics of land use change and land cover. The Republic of Serbia has a diverse spectrum of landforms, with agricultural use taking up the largest portions, followed by forestry, water, and building land. Significant anthropogenic pressures (such as mining, deforestation, urbanization, and uncontrolled land use, among other things) have harmed Serbia's natural resources over the past two decades. This study examines the causes of specific trends in land-use change in Serbia, utilizing the CORINE Land Cover (CLC) database to track temporal and spatial changes in the major categories of land use and land cover from 1990 to 2018. The authors explained that focusing on the rational use of natural resources is the only way to promote sustainable development, legal alignment with EU law, and prompt adoption of harmonized laws and planning documents across all sectors.

The objective of this study is to determine the suitability for the cultivation of emerging fruit crops in the Beira Baixa region. The suitability was examined for the present time and in the face of two future emission scenarios (RCP 4.5 and 8.5). For this purpose, the biophysical criteria determining the cultivation of pistachio tree and almond tree were processed using a G. The analysis was performed by the AHP. After dividing the problem into hierarchical levels of decision making, a pairwise comparison of criteria was performed to evaluate the weights of these criteria, based on a scale of importance. In the present conditions, about 16.4% of the study area is classified as highly suitable for almond tree and 15.9% to pistachio tree. For the future scenarios, the area with high suitability will increase both for almond tree and pistachio tree. The AHP was adequate in the evaluation of the emerging fruit tree species suitability, since it allowed the integration of the several criteria studied, being a useful tool, which allows the decision making and the resolution of problems.

A Estrutura Ecológica (EE) é uma figura de ordenamento do território integrada na legislação portuguesa pelo Decreto-Lei n.º 380/99; no entanto foi sempre muito vaga no seu conceito, com uma definição pouco clara que deu origem a diversas interpretações. Esta estrutura visa a sustentabilidade ecológica da paisagem e tem que ser delimitada a todas as escalas do planeamento. À escala local, a Estrutura Ecológica Municipal (EEM) representa uma figura de planeamento ambiental integrada no Plano Diretor Municipal (PDM), cuja implantação se revela fundamental para a concretização dos pressupostos de desenvolvimento sustentável e para a melhoria da qualidade de vida das populações. Este estudo tem como objetivo desenvolver uma metodologia de análise espacial para definição da Estrutura Ecológica Municipal de Nisa. Através de uma metodologia desenvolvida em plataforma de Sistemas de Informação Geográfica (SIG), identificam-se e analisam-se as componentes físicas e biológicas dos ecossistemas presentes no território municipal. Depois de concluída a interpretação do território, e com base nesta, delimita-se a EEM de Nisa e são atribuídos graus de proteção aos valores naturais e seminaturais em presença, numa perspetiva de preservar as zonas mais sensíveis da paisagem, que contribuem para a preservação e promoção da biodiversidade e para a valorização ambiental.

Ecotourism can contribute to the conservation of environmental values, as well as to the development of positive synergies between agents in the tourism sector, tourists and the local population. The growing interest in tourism offers with low environmental impact, which support the local economy, translates into a competitive advantage for low-density territories. On the basis of this principle, the scope of the present study is intended to evaluate the potential of the existing natural and rural features in the Beira Baixa region, located in the central interior of Portugal, which can anchor the creation of sustainable tourism products. Despite the undeniable interest in carrying out studies to determine an aggregate suitability index for the development of ecotourism using spatial multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA), there are still no studies carried out in Portugal. The identification of areas suitable for the development of ecotourism, and their constraints, was carded out on the basis of the integration of nine criteria using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) in a geographical information system (GIS) environment. The results obtained reveal that the region has high suitability for the practice of ecotourism activities, given its important natural heritage. This study was innovative as it shows the ecotourism potential based on a diversity of criteria as an aid to public administration agents with functions in planning, territorial management and management of support mechanisms for the tourist sector. The use of the landscape diversity criteria, which had not yet been tested in previous studies, proved to be important in determining the ecotourism potential of the region, together with the landscape value based in the importance of the Montado agrosystem, which supports a variety of sustainable tourist activities. The information produced in the study may be useful for the design of new policies for valuing natural resources through tourism.

The aim of this study was to analyze the association between coaches’ experience and their perceptions on the implementation of a long-term athletic development (LTAD) model created in 2016 by the Portuguese Swimming Federation. Eighty-six swimming coaches were assembled in groups according to their experience level: “novice” ( n = 24), “intermediate” ( n = 26), and “experienced” ( n = 36), and they answered a questionnaire with the following items: (i) awareness of the existing model (ii) acceptance (iii) usefulness for practice, and (iv) implementation of this model by their peers. Regardless of experience, ~67% of the coaches were aware of the model. Among those, a large number showed acceptance (~95%) and confidence in its usefulness (~83%) for their daily practice. Most coaches (92%) showed concerns about the fact that their peers do not respect the model frameworks, declaring the search for their swimmers’ immediate success (~58%) as the main cause for such behavior. The results also showed an association between experience and knowledge about the model’s existence [ χ 2 (2) = 10.223, p < 0.01, V = 0.345], and experienced coaches exhibited better knowledge than their intermediate [ χ 2 (2) = 9.555, p < 0.01, V = 0.393] or novice [ χ 2 (2) = 5.926, p = 0.02, V = 0.314] counterparts. While there was an association between the coaches’ experience and knowledge about the LTAD model’s existence, this situation does not seem to influence the way coaches accept and understand the usefulness of the model for their daily practice.

Pretedem-se apresentar, neste artigo, os resultados obtidos através da aplicação da técnica de Focus Group num processo de participação pública e envolvimento da comunidade local dos municípios de Leiria, Ferreira do Zêzere e Ourém no âmbito do projeto CLIMRisk - “Medidas de adaptação às alterações climáticas na gestão dos riscos naturais e Ambientais”. A metodologia utilizada consistiu na discussão de temas de riscos naturais com grupos de trabalho (GT) heterogéneos de até 10 pessoas, representativos da comunidade local. Foram preparadas três sessões por grupo. A informação recolhida nas sessões foi categorizada, codificada e analisada com recurso à ferramenta de análise de dados qualitativos webQDA. Este estudo permitiu identificar as principais preocupações e o nível de envolvimento dos participantes, levando a uma melhor compreensão dos riscos naturais e das medidas de adaptação como contributo para a constituição de materiais de divulgação adequados à população em geral a que se destinam, nomeadamente de um Glossário, de um Manual de Boas Práticas, de um jogo didático e de marcadores de livros.

Nos últimos anos tem-se assistido a um interesse considerável no desenvolvimento de atletas tomando a noção de preparação desportiva a longo prazo (PDLP) como ferramenta essencial de planeamento (Costa et al., 2016). Parece estar a assistir-se a quebra de recordes mundiais por parte de nadadores que apresentam idades cada vez mais avançadas. Não obstante esta constatação, a investigação nesta matéria permanece escassa. Neste estudo pretende-se verificar uma possível tendência de aumento da longevidade de atletas de nível internacional, mais concretamente proceder a uma análise retrospetiva da idade dos recordistas mundiais, tendo-se selecionado para o efeito o estilo Costas no setor Masculino. Procedeu-se à recolha da informação referentes aos recordes mundiais no sexo masculino obtidos em piscina de 50 m nas diferentes distâncias oficiais na técnica de Costas (50 m, 100 m e 200 m), no período compreendido entre 1949 e 2018. Foram analisados 84 recordes no total. O nome dos nadadores e as idades correspondentes foram recolhidos de uma plataforma digital https://www.swimrankings.net/). A idade cronológica dos nadadores à data da obtenção do recorde mundial foi convertida em idade decimal. Foram calculadas diversas estatísticas descritivas (média, 1 desvio-padrão, variância, quartis). Para analisar a relação entre a idade decimal e a data de obtenção do recorde recorreu-se a uma regressão linear, de modo a analisar a variação cronológica deste parâmetro, calculando-se o coeficiente de correlação linear (R). Confirma-se a tendência para a idade em que se batem os recordes mundiais aumentar ao longo do tempo, tendo-se verificado em resultado da aplicação da regressão linear uma correlação forte e positiva (R = 0,640) entre as idades decimais e as datas de obtenção dos recordes. O nível de significância da correlação foi determinado para p ≤ .05. A tendência de longevidade verificada na natação a nível internacional reforça a necessidade de implementação de um modelo de desenvolvimento desportivo a longo prazo. Para esse efeito, o envolvimento de toda a comunidade técnico-científica da natação nacional é fundamental para promover a longevidade na carreira dos atletas.